DARK WAR THE ARK 2
by REDROOM VALINTINESDAY
Summary: The journey continues with both Gareki and Yogi. They've reached Lim Fay but will they get out? Time is ticking for Yogi to save his kingdom. Will he return alive or dead? And if that's not enough emotions are running high between Gareki and the Sun Kingdom's Prince Yogi. Will they admit their love for one another or will Gareki keep his true emotions inside? (Full Summary Inside)
1. Summary

_**Arthur: GothinBlack**_

 _ **Title: DARK WAR THE ARK 2**_

 _ **Previous Book: DARK MAGIC THE ARK 1**_

 _ **Genres: Romance ,Yoai, Adventure, Fantasy, Teen Fiction, Magic, Suspense, Drama, Action**_

 _ **Gareki, a banished prince from the Ice Castle labeled as a trader by his own Mother and race along side Yogi, heir to the throne of the Sun Kingdom and inheritor of the royal amulet are both still on the journey to transport the Sun Prince to the Realm Gates in order to save his kingdom and the last of his only family left, his two sisters next in line to inherit the royal amulet. The dark lord, Vileus is still causing havoc back in the Sun Kingdom and Yogi will do anything to stop it from happening. But as their journey continues more dilemmas and enemies come forward and challenge the main characters. They only have each other to trust and protect, but little do they know that their magic is getting stronger all thanks to combining their powers together. They've unlocked something secret within themselves that hasn't been discovered in thousands of years. It has a very important meaning and was very long ago appreciated by all. As they continue onward both trust and love spark up inside of them but the only problem is, can they reveal it to one another or when the time comes for them to part ways will they actually stay with each other?**_

 _ **DARK WAR is a fight for freedom only for gallant heroes to rise up and fight back. Gareki knows his mother along with his kingdom won't forgive him but will they help them fight to free the innocent souls that are tainted by darkness?**_


	2. Something Secretly Powerful

2 hours had passed and Yogi followed Gareki's footsteps as they walked through the maze side by side. Gareki held the map in his hands, following the trail that was listed. Yogi eyed it curiously to get an idea of where they were headed. The black ink disappeared and reappeared in fine lines drawing an exact picture of the brick walls and trail right in front of them as they continued onward. The map itself he figured out that it was magical meaning as they walked, the path they had already walked on on the map would disappear only to create a continuing trail ahead of them to continue following. _Strange._ He thought but he wasn't complaining. It was more helpful then any regular map. They needed to get Pastel back. That goal was more important.

Not for a selfish reason because he would get them out of Lim Fay. Yogi genuinely found a soft spot for the feline even though he had made a few mistakes at times, he had helped them plenty. And now that his absence was clear he felt a sinking feeling of worry fall inside his chest. What if he was already dead and all of this was just some sort of trick? But could he really believe that? The note seemed conceivable. Maybe their objective was really meant to save Pastel's life, but what would Ivy want runes for?

"Is this some sort of trick?" He couldn't keep the question inside of his conscience any longer. Gareki looked up from the map giving him a look before looking strait ahead. "Either it is or isn't, we don't have much of a choice if we want to figure out where Pastel is."

"Good answer." He whispered, feeling like his response had helped him calm down just a little. But what really irked him the most was that whatever had taken Pastel hadn't woken them up. Both of them kept their guards up while sleeping so nothing should have passed their detection. . . but it had. This was all their fault that Pastel was gone—no it was his own fault. He remembered that noise from last night but wrote it off as being nothing but a damn snake. He should have been more observant at the time. Now they were wasting even more time to get out of Lim Fay to find him. Time that they shouldn't be wasting. It was all his fault. _Damn it_.

Yogi mentally slapped himself for being stupid which earned him an odd glance from Gareki before he turned back to the map in his hands. That hadn't been a snake. It had been the kidnapper in some form. Or it was Ivy. Was Ivy a snake though? That was a big doubt but it was possible. There were a lot of crazy things he had seen in the Arcial Realm that made him question if it was real or not. So Ivy being a snake in actuality wasn't a big surprise.

But a snake being a spirit seemed weird to him. Ivy probably was a shape shifter. Putting that aside, "Why would he want runes?"

Gareki didn't answer right away and he wasn't looking at the map either. He was glancing behind them. His face serious, shoulders tensed and eyes unblinking. Finally they blinked and averted towards him again. "What?"

Yogi lifted a questioning eyebrow deciding to shrug off his guarded behavior before repeating his question. Gareki's ears twitched before he answered.

"I don't know why he would want them."

"What are they?"

Gareki looked strait ahead. "They're magical stones with the ability to give the user strong powers or they can be used for puzzles from the symbols on them. I don't think a spirit who already has immense power needs them for a magical upgrade so Ivy must want them for some kind of puzzle."

"You think so?"

His blue-grey iris's looked to him in the corner of his eyes. "I _**know**_ so." He turned forward again, "Why else do you think he—

Gareki stopped walking and Yogi paused next to him wondering why he had stopped. His eyes stared strait ahead but they were distant as if they weren't really focused on anything in front of them. His pointed ears twitched ever so slightly once more. The next thing he did happened fast. Shoving the map in his hands he swiftly turned around forming a ball of magic in his hand before throwing it at a very long green snake that had been slithering after them. It froze on impact.

Gareki squinted his eyes into a glare before dropping his hand back down to his side and stood up strait again from his throwing stance. "What are you doing?" Yogi asked. "We have more important things to worry about than a snake." He unscrambled the map in his hands that had crumbled from the force Gareki had shoved it towards him with.

Gareki walked over to the what looked to be a snake embedded in ice. "It's not a snake." He gripped onto it and held it up for Yogi to get a look. "Does it look like one to you?" Yogi walked closer and saw that it was a very long vine but half of it was gone as if it had been ripped apart. It had the same appearance to the snake that he had seen last night, but maybe that hadn't been a snake at all now that he saw this.

"It's a vine? But how is it moving on it's own?" He reached forward and touched it. The ice feeling like pins and needles against his finger tips but he didn't pull away. Gareki handed it over to him in exchange for the map. He looked down at it for more directions.

"My instincts are telling me Ivy has something to do about this. He's a spirit with a name that's a title of a plant. It's obvious he's the spirit of the enchanted vegetation Jiki told us about. "He paused as he read over the note again before pointing to a specific sentence. "And he says he'll be watching us. I could sense a presence watching us and following us, it must have been from this vine. Don't ask me how he can see us through them. Must be some kind of ability he can do with the plants around us."

"Figuring all that out from just his name?" Yogi sounded amazed.

"It wasn't hard." He looked at the frozen vine before walking past him. "We have to keep moving. Come on."

Yogi dropped the vine on the moss flooring and followed after him. "There's going to be more." Gareki informed. "Following us I mean, so make sure you keep an eye out. We don't know this spirit, he might try something."

Yogi nodded taking a glance back and saw nothing. But even though nothing was seen he knew more would show up to replace the last vine. Now that he thought about being watched he began to feel the same presence Gareki had told him about. Eyes on him and something lurking from behind. It was slightly uncomfortable. As in 'not knowing what would happen next' type of uncomfortable. Gareki was right, Ivy was probably going to try something. Probably to add on to the challenge of collecting 3 runes.

"Do you think Pastel is okay right now? I have a feeling that he might be dead." He continued to stare at every plant around them wondering if they were going to do anything strange. Everything was quiet. Oddly enough not much noise came to his ears except the soles of theirs boots on the ground walking in a four pace. He couldn't help but think that the silence was strange. It hadn't been this way before in the Ever Grove. Usually there were shuffles of Spiritual Beast moving throughout the maze , birds flapping and chirping and also the wind blowing through the unique varieties of plants and trees.

"I don't know, Yogi. But the best thing we can do now is focus. Stop thinking the worse scenarios, will you." His voice had a hint of vexation which made him recall their earlier dispute. Or rather it was Gareki who had the temper and was the one who mostly sounded irritated rather then himself who was calm— there for it wasn't really an argument. But he was going to call it that anyway because it had felt like one.

Yogi crossed his arms along his chest. "Right." He muttered. But that was going to be hard considering all he ever did was think of the worse scenarios that could occur. He was beginning to hate that aspect about himself. _Stop thinking badly_. Spoke his conscience out of no where. He looked down at the ground. The world around him tuning out of focus as he grew distracted.

Maybe he shouldn't have brought up the question considering their earlier argument was still a slight tension between them.

"It's hard." He whispered in response to the voice in his head, not noticing he had said it aloud.

Gareki took his eyes away from the map and turned his head to look at him strangely. "What?"

Violate eyes blinked back into focus and looked up turning to him. "What?"

"I want to know what you just said."

Yogi shook his head not remembering saying anything. "I didn't say anything."

"But you just— Gareki rolled his eyes. "Never mind." He turned back to the map. "Just keep an eye out like I told you. You don't want anything popping out trying to kill us do you?"

"Of course not." He responded. "Where are we headed anyway?"

"Our next rune is a water demon, so I'm guessing this map is leading us to a river or some kind of body of water."

Yogi wasn't too keen on seeing a water demon. He hadn't seen one before but he decided he might as well get it over with so they could get Pastel back. Curiosity took over his mind then, just now remembering the rune Gareki had gotten.

"Can I see the rune we already have?" He held his hand out. Gareki reached his hand inside his pocket and shoveled out the rune. The orange symbol glowed once it was out in the open. He was about to place the rune in Yogi's hand but suddenly a dark green vine wrapped itself around his wrist and hand before yanking him to the ground, forcing him to let go of the map. It fluttered to the floor but both of them were focused on the protrusion coming from the ground now in front of them. They both watched as it burst open with vines lashing out in every direction. The protrusion had a small hole in it's center but it was opening up wider as the vines spread out before it burst apart causing dirt and pebbles to fly in all directions.

Yogi acted quickly. Gripping onto his sword handle he pulled it out of it's holster and stabbed it into the ground reciting a spell that made vines burst from the ground and form a dome shaped barrier over their heads to block away the falling earth.

The sound of it slamming against the vine's roof top was like a loud thud inside the barrier that sounded like continuous banging. Yogi looked over to Gareki who was on his front side laying on the ground, his hand still wrapped tautly with vines while his other hand gripped onto his forearm as if to keep it in place.

"It's pulling me!" He yelled.

"Hold on, let me help you." Yogi offered, but as he was just about to run over and offer aid the sound of thud. . .thud. . .thud reverberated against the ground causing it to vibrate as if giant footsteps were being made and then suddenly there was silence for a breath taking moment that made them both pause in question as to what it had been. Then there was loud snapping of something being ripped in half.

Yogi felt vines fall down onto him as the barrier was being torn apart from above their heads. Whatever it was was trying to get in.

He took a step forward trying to get to Gareki but another loud thud shook the earth and had him stumbling and falling to the ground onto his front side. More vines cascaded down on them as they were continuously ripped from the roof. It didn't take long for a hole to appear above them. Light from the sun shown through the broken sealing of the barrier right where Gareki was laying struggling to get loose from the vine still wrapped around his hand.

Yogi saw that his magic was freezing it but that didn't even break it. Violate eyes trailed up to the large hole in the sealing of the barrier where a large leafy and tree barked hand reached in and grabbed onto Gareki's legs, pulling him up from the ground so that he was hanging a couple feet above it. He struggled as he gripped onto the moss in an attempt to pull himself back down to earth but that had proved pointless as the large hand yanked him through the hole in the roof.

Yogi watched in shock as ripped pieces of moss Gareki had gripped onto fell back to the ground. "NO!" He immediately pushed himself to his feet and ran over to the opening, looking up. He saw nothing but he heard a loud roar and the heavy thuds. The vine barrier he had formed began to fall from his loss of concentration of the spell. But that was fine, it didn't matter now.

Yanking his sword from the ground and shoving the map in his pocket he was out of the remains of his protective spell and looking for whatever it was that had taken Gareki.

It didn't take long for him to find it. Infact it was standing high up in front of him. An earth troll stood bulky and tall a few feet in front of him. It's body was partially made up of leaves and dirt while other parts were of bark from trees and crooked roots.

Anxiety ate away at him slightly and it was mixed with a small amount of fear at the troll's tall stature. He shoved it away and put on a serious front. This wasn't the time to be afraid. It had already been his fault that they had lost Pastel, he wasn't going to lose Gareki either.

The troll had it's back to him as it's hand was held up in front of it's body with Gareki in it's large fist. No longer just his hand but his whole arm was wrapped with vines and he was struggling to get himself free once more.

"Let Go!" He growled eyes blazing bright blue with anger. The troll kept walking, ignoring Gareki's order. From Yogi's vintage point he could see that the troll was heading back over to the large hole he had made. Was he planning on taking Gareki with him? Why?

"HEY!" Yogi yelled sternly. The troll froze before slowly turning to Yogi looking down— way down. It's body turned to face him as well.

"Let him go! Now!" He held his sword up.

The troll stood taller before leaning down and roared loudly in his face. Yogi was blown back by the strong wind of it's breath. He rolled a small distance away before coming to a stop on his back. Opening his eyes he saw just in time the troll taking away the foxen rune from Gareki's hand before trying to drop him to the ground and started to walk off. But Gareki grabbed and hung on to a branch that was on his fist, dangling there.

"Give it back!" He ordered, climbing up the troll's knuckles till he reached it's forearm. The troll saw him and tried to throw him off by jerking his arm in a direction. But Gareki held on tightly. He turned his head to his right knowing that the rune was still in the troll's other hand. He jumped from his forearm planning on grabbing onto the troll's other arm to get the rune back but the troll once again saw him.

The troll pulled his fist back with the rune inside of it before swinging it towards Gareki who instantly formed an ice shield to protect himself from the impact that he knew he couldn't escape from. The impact came and he felt the wind rush out of him as his shield broke. He flew backwards in mid air. The world in his vision seeming to speedily pass him by as he felt the wind rushing in his ears.

Yogi saw it all happen. All he heard was a thud from his body hitting the ground as he landed three stones walls away. Everything had happened way too quickly for him to help.

His eyes widened at the thought of Gareki being dead. He shook his head slowly in disbelief ."No. . .NO!" He turned to the troll who continued in the direction of the hole as if nothing had just happened. It's goal had been to steal the rune from them, it had been his goal this whole time. He was going to get it back. "Don't you dare leave!" He got to his feet about to launch a flurry of vines the troll's direction but the glowing of his amulet interrupted his actions. It floated out of his shirt and the glow brightened up even more in front of his face.

It was reacting to his anger but something about it felt different. A strange and new sensation pulsed from it, matching his heart beat growing stronger by the second but it felt faint some how. Yogi grabbed it in mid air and held it out. Power flowing up his hand to his arm. A word automatically coming to mind and he felt the instinct to say it aloud. "Feuer!" That had been in German which surprised him considering his knowledge of the language wasn't in his vocabulary. He hadn't learned it in his life time.

Suddenly balls of fire shot out from the amulet startling Yogi as soon as they did. All four of them shot out at the troll, hitting him square in his back knocking him forward to his hands and knees. He turned back to look at Yogi.

A low growl erupted from it's throat, the fire not seeming to harm him as much as he had thought it would. Yogi stared at him. His eyes slightly wide still in surprise by his new abilities. But that surprise was taken over by anger once more thinking about what the troll had just doen. He sheathed his sword and advanced towards the troll.

"You're going to suffer for what you just did to my friend." He held his amulet out ready to throw another set of fire balls at him but nothing happened. He paused ,waiting for it. But still nothing came out. He felt the pulsing waver away and the sensation of power drained away from him as if it hadn't been there in the first place. He felt regular again.

"What." He gasped, looking down at his amulet. The glow dimed down until it was nothing but a dull grey of medal like it had been initially. "This can't be happening." He snapped his head up as he heard the troll move to his feet again and the look on his face told him that he wasn't happy. He turned towards Yogi, lifting up his foot ready to stomp on him.

No time to move out of the way he braced himself. Was this the end?

Suddenly something quick flew towards the troll. It was a ball of dark blue light with an aura around it. It made contact with the troll's shoulder freezing it on contact making it stumble and fall the other way causing it's foot to stomp the ground missing Yogi by a couple feet. Dirt flew towards Yogi who blocked himself from it getting into his eyes.

Once the small gush of wind passed he opened his eyes and saw Gareki wiping dirt off his sleeves as he walked over to him a few rips in his clothing. A cold breeze radiated off his body. His eyes were glowing an icy blue still so Yogi suspected he was upset about the troll throwing him. He felt ease wash over him as he breathed a sigh of relief and before he could stop himself he hugged Gareki who took an unexpected step back as he was engaged in the embrace.

The Avatar held his hands up over the small of Yogi's back, not touching him and not knowing what to do. Oddly enough he didn't feel the need to push him away like he had done before so instead he gave him an awkward pat on the back and the blonde pulled away realizing his actions but didn't really care. He was alive that was all that mattered.

"I thought you were dead."

"I had a bad fall, but luckily I landed in a bush and only came out with a few scrapes and thorns. Nothing broken, surprisingly."

"That's great." Yogi breathed. Behind him he heard shuffling and snapping of bark and leaves as the troll moved to it's feet again.

They both took cautious steps back away from the troll as it got up. It reached one of it's hands up. The one that had the foxen rune inside it's fist. He placed the rune on top of his head they both saw vines wrap around the stone and pull it inside the trolls head as if being absorbed.

The flames Yogi had previously thrown at it had slowly dispersed and left ugly singed leaves and burned bark in it's wake. He still wondered how had he done that element? His powers were of the sun, not fire. He had questions but now wasn't the time to get answers. "We need a plan." Gareki insisted, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"At least we know where the rune is." Yogi offered with a small smile but it faltered as he stated the next part. "But it just so happens to be in the most difficult spot. We need a break from all the trouble we've been through."

"Yeah, well I doubt that break will be coming anytime soon. We need to get up to his head which means I'm going to need your vines. You can follow my lead if I don't succeed, okay?"

Yogi nodded once. "On it." He stabbed his sword into the ground once again causing vines to erupt from the Earth, long and curvy some being straighter then others. Gareki summoned his glaive and twirled it in his hand before jumping up on one of the vines running up it as it continued to grow, heading strait for the trolls head.

The trolled growled before producing it's own set of vines coming out of it's body by it's shoulders. Gareki held his weapon in both hands preparing himself for the upcoming vines lashing out towards him. He continued to sprint and once a vine was close enough, he jumped over it before having to quickly duck backwards from another upcoming vine without loosing his balance. He kept the thought in mind that if he fell then it would be a long way down so it was best not to loose his focus on balancing himself.

He pulled himself forward from ducking only to immediately move his glaive in front of himself, cutting right through a vine that had almost gotten too close. Looking up he saw four more coming his way. Lifting his leg he kicked off half of the previous vine that had stuck itself to his blade before spinning in a half circle to cut all four vines that had tried to circle around him. With that done he continued to sprint forward.

The troll gave out a small roar, clearly displeased. He took a step forward, lifting a hand he prepared to swat Gareki like a fly yet again.

Gareki saw it coming in the corner of his eye and he heard Yogi yell out a warning. "I know!" He focused his magic in his hand, watching as his hand was outlined a glowing dark blue. A ball of light came from his palm and once it was the size of his palm he threw it towards the troll's upcoming hand. On impact ice covered his palm before quickly spreading over his entire hand and up his arm causing his movements to stop and stiffen in place.

To his right the troll's left hand was coming his way now and this time Gareki didn't have time to freeze it so he jumped towards it, successfully landing on it this time. The only dilemma was that the troll's head was too far away now so that had been a bad move on his part.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance at himself. "Dumb move, Gareki, dumb move." He muttered under his breath. He held on tightly to the roots sticking free from the troll's hand as the beast continued to move it back and forth in an attempt to make him fall.

"We don't have time for this," Yogi said who was suddenly now in front of him standing on a vine. Gareki could tell that it was his own considering it wasn't attacking them. He reached a hand out to Gareki and Gareki grabbed onto his wrist without hesitation and allowed Yogi to pull him up onto the vine.

"Are you good?" Yogi asked him.

"More or less. But we have bigger things to worry about." He turned his body to face the troll. "We need to get up there."

"I'm already on that idea." Yogi pointed out as he made his vine grow upwards towards the troll's head. Gareki held onto Yogi's shoulder with one hand to keep his balance while the other was holding his weapon.

The troll spotted them and went to grab them with it's unfrozen hand but Gareki caught his actions and froze his other arm too. "Let's make this quick. I can't keep things frozen for a long period of time."

"Right." Yogi went faster and soon they were to the top. The troll was moving around making it difficult for both of them to get onto his head. More vines grew from it's body heading strait for them. Gareki let go of Yogi's shoulder and stepped in front of him with his glaive ready. "Follow my lead, I'm going to need your help on this."

"Okay." Yogi nodded pulling out his own sword and held it defensively in front of himself.

The vines were getting closer but Gareki stood their like he was waiting for something—an opening, Yogi guessed.

"Wait for my mark." Gareki instructed, holding up a hand for him to halt. The vines were coming closer now and soon enough they were in the position Gareki wanted them to be in. They lashed out towards them and Gareki yelled "Now" before jumping up and running on top of a vine that led strait to the troll's head. Yogi followed right behind. Cutting the other vines that were trying to attack him.

They made it to the troll's head. Yogi fighting off the vines while Gareki focused on getting the rune out. He held up his glaive before bringing it down. Slicing his blade across the troll's head creating an opening where he saw vines wrapper around something. _The rune_. He thought before kneeling down and ripped it out.

He shoved it into his pocket. "I got it now, we need to kill this troll. We can't have him attacking us again."

"How do you expect we do that?" Yogi glanced at him before focusing on his fighting.

"I—

Was all Gareki got to say before they both heard a loud cracking sounding. His head snapped in the direction of the troll's frozen arm, his left one. The ice was cracking and it was the same with his right arm.

"Oh great," Gareki said sarcastically. Right when those words left his mouth the troll's arms broke free all the way and came towards them faster then they had expected and before they knew it they had been thrown into the air caused by him slapping them from his head.

Gareki felt the wind rushing against his body all over again as he fell on his front side. He had fallen slightly unconscious from the hit and now that he opened his eyes he saw the troll below them as they fell down back to Earth. They were still a distance up high so it would be a matter of minutes before they hit the ground or rather the troll who wasn't paying any attention.

He looked to his right and saw Yogi falling with his back facing the ground. Blonde hair whipping in his face. He was unconscious. Gareki reached out grabbing him with his cold hand before using some of his ice magic to wake him up. He was assuming it would work but wasn't entirely sure.

Suddenly Yogi snapped his eyes open and flinched from the cold coming up his arm, but it melted away soon after. He looked at Gareki before turning himself so he was free falling on his front side. Hair pushed away from his face now.

He looked down for a second not realizing they were falling in mid air. "W-what?! He stuttered.

Gareki thought quickly coming up with an idea. They needed to kill the troll now. He doubted his magic was strong enough to do the deed so he would need Yogi's help with this.

He reached his hand out towards Yogi who looked at it questioningly. "Grab onto me, I have an idea."

Yogi grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers together. "What's your plan?! He yelled over the wind.

"We need to kill that troll so combine your magic with mine. Do you think you can make a soft landing for us once we've done so?"

"I'll see if I can. I haven't done this before. Using my magic in mid air without my sword to summon vines I mean."

"It'll work, now concentrate." Gareki instructed, he tightened his hold on Yogi's hand and Yogi did the same. Both of them felt that same pulse of magic as well as each others flowing up their intertwined hands before it slowly went up their arms then flowed freely through the rest of their bodies.

Gareki felt something new about Yogi's magical pulse though. It felt stronger and more warmer but not really an uncomfortable warmth. It was odd, like he had evolved some how. Yogi felt the same thing with Gareki. His magic too felt stronger more cooler then it had been the last time they combined.

A yellow aura suddenly outlined Yogi's body and a dark blue aura outlined Gareki's body. Neither of them knew what was causing this to happen but their energy felt more stronger then it ever had been. It was exhilarating.

Simultaneously they both reached their hands out towards the troll down below—The hands that weren't intertwined with one another— fingers spreading apart revealing their palms as a dark blue ball of light formed in Gareki's hand and a yellow ball of light formed in Yogi's.

The ground was getting closer.

"Now!" Gareki yelled and then they both unleashed their magic. It shot down like two beams swirling with one another strait onto the troll. As soon as it made contact it's body glowed brightly before bursting apart into tiny sparkling specks. A gush of wind bursting past them from the explosion.

Yogi took that as an opportunity to use his magic to create soft landing. _Please let this work_. He thought hopefully.

He kept his arm outstretched and did the summoning spell for vines. It took a few seconds to take effect but luckily it had.

Vines wrapped around their bodies slowly bringing them down to the ground. They unwrapped themselves before sinking back into the soil. Both of them looked at the aura's still outlining their bodies. "What is this?" Yogi asked. But just as he did the aura dimed down until it was no longer glowing over their skin.

"I don't know what that was and I also don't know how you've gotten so strong." Gareki replied.

" _ **I've**_ gotten stronger," He said incredulously, " _ **You're**_ the one whose gotten stronger. I felt it when we were combining."

"I felt yours too. It's weird. I don't understand how that could happen to us. I understand it for me since I just got my soul restored but for you. . ." He shrugged. "I don't get it."

Yogi didn't understand it either. How had he shot fire? What had caused the aura around them? The way their magic came out together looked like something else entirely. "What I don't get is why this troll attacked us or more like tried to steal the rune from us."

Gareki crossed his arms. "It wasn't translucent so it couldn't have been a Spiritual Beast. I say it was sent to us by Ivy. He wants to make this whole thing challenging for us." He sighed before continuing. "I've never come across a spirit who likes to play around with it's victims. But their all different in there own way so I shouldn't expect anything else."

Yogi nodded only half distracted by what just occurred. His hand that had been intertwined with Gareki's felt tingly and not because he loved him, it had to be because of his magic coursing through it. "Did you get the rune?"

Gareki held it up. "Not a scratch. We were lucky." He tucked it back into his pocket. "We better get a move on before darkness falls again—wait, where's the map?"

Yogi smiled and took it out of his pocket before handing it over. "Sorry if it's wrinkled, I didn't have time to fold it."

"Doesn't matter, I'm just glad you got it." Gareki straightened the paper. "Come on. We better go before anymore enemies pop up."


	3. Shadows Seeking

_**A/N: Sorry I've been gone for a few days but I've finally moved into my new house and things have been situated. But the problem is I've started school again so my updates for this book still might be interrupted but I promise you I will work hard to finish this book as quick as I can. Thank you for your patience. Enjoy the chapter!**_

* * *

 _ **Music Choice—Mind—Skrillex & Diplo Ft. Kai**_

 _ **You Love How, You Push Me To The Point Of Crazy**_

 _ **And I Love When You're On Your Knees Begging For Me**_

 _ **You Got Me Good With All These Mind Games**_

 _ **There You Go You Got My Heart Again**_

Both of them came into a small clearing. The stone wall was circling around the empty area with only a single thick tree in it's center with it's leaves glowing magenta against the ray of moonlight. The moss had transitioned into blades of grass that was a few inches tall stopping above their ankles as they stood there staring at their new surroundings with small glowing wisps flying around like floating stars. Yogi noticed a small pond in the corner of the clearing but he knew it wasn't the body of water they were tracking down.

Gareki dropped his arm that was holding the map down to his side and turned his head to Yogi. "This is it so far, we'll be back on our feet in a moment, but in the mean time, we'll wrest here."

Yogi positioned a hand on his right hip and placed his weight on his right leg before sighing tiredly. "How long have we been walking for?"

"All day and that's enough to make us both tired." He walked forward towards the pond, "But both me and you already know we have to get Pastel back as soon as possible so don't expect us to be staying here long. I'm done wasting time in Lim Fay." He muttered the last part more to himself rather than to Yogi but he heard it anyway.

Yogi watched his back as he walked away and suddenly thoughts about what Eden had told him the other day came into his mind. He moved his eyes away from Gareki's back and instead focused them on his amulet holding it up in front of his vision. He watched it swing slowly from side to side.

The journey was almost over which left little time to admit his emotions as well as being in the presence of Gareki. It was only a matter of time before they would be at the Realm Gates. It was both good and bad and if that wasn't enough, he felt one constant problem eating away at his emotions every day Gareki was near him. Could he really say what he was feeling? That was the dilemma.

"Yogi?" Gareki called from a distance. Yogi looked up from his distraction and saw Gareki's silhouette crouched near the pond waving him over. Yogi took a step forward but paused as the thought of admitting his feelings surfaced in his mind. Eden's voice came into his head saying the exact same thing she had during their last meeting.

 _ **The journey to the Realm Gates is almost over, all the more reason to tell that Avatar how you feel before your chances run out**_.

Time was passing them by quicker then he had expected. He continued to walk towards Gareki. But his mind was still stuck in the clouds. Once he came over he crouched down next to the Avatar giving Gareki a questioning look who was staring down at the clear water before turning to look at him as well but immediately froze by their close proximity. Their noses were almost touching.

Yogi could feel cold air brush against his lips. Gareki's breath.

The glowing water shadowed half of Gareki's face but Yogi couldn't miss the surprise on half of his features. Yogi didn't react with much surprise, he was half distracted by his thoughts, only being half conscious to what was happening right in front of him. But he did feel slightly taken aback.

Gareki blinked and pulled back a few inches. He stayed mute for a few passing seconds as he stared at Yogi with an unreadable expression on his face, finally he found his voice. ". . . You might as well start a fire, it's cold tonight." He stood up looking out at the water again. _Distracting himself from looking at me._ Yogi tapped his fingers on his knees before looking at the water as well _._

He sucked in half of his bottom lip with his teeth slightly biting on it, he felt sort of awkward. _At least he didn't freeze my arm this time_. He thought in relief. _But seeing him move away like that made my confidence lower. He doesn't want to be close to me. . .not like that. . .not in the way a true relationship should be. Where a man and a women would long for each others touch._

 _That's just it, we're both males and I still don't know his sexuality. What if it turns out he doesn't like the same male sex?_ His eyes widened in discontent at just the thought. _And even worse, we're both different . . .it could never work out. . ._ How many times have I thought this so far? But still I don't know when to quit my feelings for him.

"Yogi?" Gareki called for the third time sounding slightly annoyed.

He blinked snapping out of his distractive thoughts once more. He looked up at Gareki who had his arms crossed over his chest. "What's wrong with you?" He asked warily still with a slight hint of annoyance, one of his black eyebrows lifting. "You keep spacing out."

Yogi shook his head as he opened his mouth to admit everything that had been going through his head for the last past 8 minutes but instead he came up with a quick lie. "Um. . . I'm just thinking about what happened to us earlier. . .with the troll," he said quietly. "It was all just so strange and unexpected. That's all." He looked down at the glowing green grass against his brown leather boots.

Gareki stared down at him, dropping his eyebrow he spoke up. "That's not all." His voice was more gentler now,"Something happened to us that we both don't even know about. I don't think we'll get answers for it either."

Yogi looked up to his half shadowed face. "Why do you say that?"

Gareki gave him a small shrug. "What happened to us was out worldly. I don't think any one in this realm knows considering what we just did hasn't happened here. More like never happened."

Yogi furrowed his eyebrows. "So what are you saying?. . .Are you trying to imply that we'll never know what caused our magic to suddenly become powerful like it had?"

Gareki slowly shook his head. "Not what I meant. All I'm telling you is that no one in the Arcial Realm —at least to my knowledge— has ever combined their magical elements together like we've done. As long as I've lived, I've never seen it, it's not in the Arcial Realm's history."

"How would you know? It might be."

Gareki uncrossed his arms and dropped them down to his sides. "Believe me Yogi, I would know my own realm's history and as far as I know, she told me nothing of magicians or Avatarians or any other kind of magical race that have combined their magic together.

The confused look on Yogi's face deepened. "You said 'she.'"

"Yeah, my mother. She's the one who tells me the history our world has been through. Remember when I told you she's been around since the dark ages?" Yogi nodded," Well, she obviously remembers all the things that have occurred in this world before I was even born. So she would know."

Yogi paused and thought about his words coming up with something as he did. "Maybe she does know the history, but what if it actually did happened in this realm and those two people were opposites exactly like us with different elements of magic? Would she tell you?"

Gareki gave him a hard look. "She's my mother, of course she would."

Yogi doubted that strongly. He wasn't sure why but he just doubted it. "Would she?" He accused returning Gareki's intense look. "Think about it. . . what if she didn't tell you and it's happened before in this world but you just don't know because she decided not to tell you."

Gareki's tail flicked behind him and his eyebrows pushed together in a serious manner. "And why wouldn't she tell me?"

"Thoughts and memories slip minds even important ones. I'm saying she forgot."

Gareki sighed. "Whatever, I know combining magic hasn't happened here in my world, end of story. Now can you start the fire?"

Gareki watched Yogi stand up and take a step closer to him so he could lean in close. "Sorry if that came off as offensive. I didn't mean for the topic to become so heated."

"It's fine, you didn't offend me that much."

Yogi stepped back and nodded slowly. "Just letting you know If I did, I didn't mean to."

Gareki didn't say anything. He watched him walk away in search of fire wood. He pulled his hood over his head and positioned his hands into his hoodie pockets thinking of what Yogi told him. _I know it hasn't been done here and if it were then I should already know from my mother. She wouldn't forget something as rare as that. . .or would she? Maybe there's a chance that she hasn't told me everything in the Arcial Realm's history. Maybe Yogi's right. . ._

Yogi collected sticks and chose a spot in the clearing that seemed suitable for a fire. He dropped the sticks to the ground and ripped grass out of the Earth, creating a pit where he could set the sticks in. After doing that he stood up dusting himself off before lifting his hand towards the small pile of sticks and set them a blaze. The fire started small but it gradually grew.

Gareki sat at a distance near the pond forming darts of ice in his palms before making them disappear and reappear, they looked like floating crystals in his palms. He took a glance at the fire and found Yogi staring. "If there was a chance that there were two people opposites like us that combined in this world then I would wonder why my mother wouldn't tell me. That is _ **if**_ it even happened. Forgetting about something like that is not like her. She remembers."

"I thought you said end of story." Yogi stated.

Gareki shook his head and sighed as he stood up. "I'm just laying it out there so you know."

"The way you said it makes it sound as if it'd be special if she'd actually told you." Yogi threw another stick into the fire, looking around for another.

"Of course it would be. . . not everyone knows about it let alone can do it. From what I learned as a kid I read this book that taught me that combining magic could only be done with the right person or it could be done by focusing a lot of your magic with the person you're combining with. But I'm surprised we were able to pull it off even with our opposite elements. I had no clue that we would pull it off so easily."

"New things happen," Yogi said. Gareki walked over to him but made sure to keep at a distance away from the fire. He sat down and crossed his legs and arms. "What exactly did you feel?"

Yogi's expression turned confused. "Excuse me?"

"I'm talking about us combining. What did you feel?"

Yogi wasn't sure he wanted to think about it let alone talk about it. The thought of them both holding hands while combining only made his heart feel heavy and made his confidence waver with confusion.

"Haven't. . . we already discussed this?" He asked carefully.

"We have." He shrugged,"But I'm just curious. I want to get a clear understanding of what the hell happened to us, or maybe just you. I need to get your side of the experience."

Yogi sighed looking down at his hands that were sitting in his lap, thumbs twiddling with one another. He thought about earlier. "I guess I felt like I wasn't in my own body, almost as if the wind had rushed right through me, like I was weightless. My heart was racing but in a good way like. . .exhilaration. Definitely a high I've never felt before. It was. . ."He paused and looked up into Gareki's eyes that were focused on his, he then averted them to the fire before continuing to speak, "Sort of exciting and of course you already know I felt stronger."

A few seconds of silence passed as Gareki thought about his response. The fire between them crackled and snapped loudly as the wood burned.

Gareki picked up a small pebble that had been dug up from the pit Yogi had made. He rolled It between both his thumb and index. "Your explanation sounds exactly like how I felt. I thought both of our experiences would be different."

"All the more reason that's led me to believe we're connected in a way. You said it yourself that combining magic isn't an easy task, but maybe it's easy for us to do because we're like—for example—Yin and Yang, connected and . . .meant to be. Just like you learned in that book maybe we're the right person for one another." He continued to look down at his hands slightly feeling heat rise to his cheeks by his own word choice.

Gareki squinted at him and suddenly had a weird thought and visibly shivered. Yogi saw it in his peripherals and looked up towards him. "What's wrong?"

Gareki inhaled a deep breath before sighing through his nose. "Daja' Vu." He rasped quietly. "Odd of it to suddenly happen like that." He placed one of his hands on his temple.

"Well, that is what Daja' Vu Does." Yogi pointed out.

"Yeah, but for Avatarians it's different. I'm not sure how to explain it to you but all I can say is that it doesn't happen often."

Yogi nodded in understanding. "What did you see?"

"My mother's face, she looked surprised but I don't know why, I only had two seconds to see her."

Yogi instantly thought about queen Larisa's face within his mind and felt cold chills ghost up his spine and arms. He wasn't even afraid of her. She was just so intimidating that even just by a thought of her made chills run through his body as if she were freezing him without being present.

"Usually when Daja' Vu happens it means something you saw in mind will be happening in your future or maybe in the person you imagined future." Gareki pushed his hair back with the hand that was on his temple before dropping it down to his lap. His black hair fell perfectly back into place as if his fingers hadn't just pushed through the strands.

"Exactly." He muttered before moving his eyes up to Yogi's. "It's just weird to me that I saw her face now of all times. He paused looking at the ground. "I mean. . .it only reminds me that I'm banished and that's obviously something I don't want to think about right now."

"Do you miss her?" The question blurted out of Yogi's mouth before he could think about it. Gareki may have shown some emotion now that they were getting along on the journey but still, would he even have emotions to show for his own mother? Avatars, they were cold people who always kept to themselves as Pastel had said that to him one time.

Gareki didn't answer right away it looked as if he hadn't heard the question as he continued staring at the ground. Yogi opened his mouth to repeat but then Gareki looked up and answered. "I'm sure that word means to long for someone you care for. Others have that feeling."

Blonde eyebrows furrowed."Gareki. . . " He started quietly," Do you not know what it feels like to miss someone?"

Gareki's face turned blank. "I know what it means, but I can't bring myself to feel it or express it. Not like you can."

Yogi frowned. "That's actually kind of sad."

Gareki shook his head. "Not really. I'm an Avatar, Yogi. We don't feel much of anything—unless you're Avia. She's different. She has an entirely different outlook of our world in her own eyes unlike me."

"You're different too. For the last couple of days you've smiled, you've expressed sadness, compassion, gratitude, benevolentness and you're more open with me. You've advanced into a better person." Yogi consoled.

Gareki flicked the small pebble into the fire. "I guess I've changed more then I've realized then if you put it that way."

Yogi nodded. "Exactly, and if you did actually get a chance to get back into your castle then I'm sure you'd be an even better prince then you were when we first met."

"Being back home in the Ice Castle sounds nice right about now but I know I can't go back. My mother doesn't like people who lie to her."

Yogi looked at him incredulously before quickly saying: "But you didn't lie to her. You—

"Going behind her back to help the enemy Outsider is in a way a form of lying."

"Oh," Yogi said, "I understand, But I doubt she'll keep her only son banished forever. I mean your mother has to have some kind of emotion for you. You're her son. She should feel pity for you. "

"If it turns out that she does then I'll be waiting for her to send guards to track me down." He stood up, turned and began walking in the entrance of the clearing they had came through. "Where are you going?" Yogi asked.

"More fire wood." He replied without turning or stopping.

"Alone?"

"Yeah, but don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Yogi looked over to the single tree in the clearing before turning back to Gareki. "Can't you just use this tree's wood?"

Gareki stopped then and turned around and eyed the tree before replying. "Yogi, it's too thick, my blade can't go through that." He turned back around and continued to walk.

 _Well, it was worth trying to keep him here_. Yogi thought in defeat. He watched him disappear around the corner. He frowned. "I'll be fine he says." He turned back to the fire. "As if I could believe that."

* * *

Gareki's P.O.V

Gareki moved forward. Now completely being a distance away from the clearing Yogi was in. He walked slowly for hidden traps. His eyes gazed at the ground. He stopped and crouched, looking particularly at the false grass that he could have stepped on if he hadn't noticed it was a trap.

Gareki squinted, slowly roaming his slit eyes along the obvious fake grass. He looked up to his left averting his eyes over to his right seeing if there were any other hidden things he was missing with this trap. Standing up he walked over to the right stone wall.

He reached his hand out and slid it slowly against the cold rugged surface of the stones until he felt something shift. It was a stone but small and removable. "False stone." He muttered under his breath. He looked further onto the wall and saw more false stones like a long line on the wall. Bringing his attention back to the previous one he had found first he picked it off and dropped it to the ground before looking into the hole only to see a black spike pointing right at his eyeball. He leaned back up and turned to the left stone wall, he looked closely and saw the same false rocks along it's surface.

He looked back down to the fake sections of grass now noticing it was a few feet long going in the direction he needed to be in. It was obvious that if he stepped onto it then it would trigger the false stones to burst out of the walls allowing those spikes to come out and penetrate the trespasser who failed to notice the trap.

"Good trap but not good enough." Gareki shook his head. He moved back from the false grass and instead decided to climb the stone wall and walk on that instead.

He pulled himself up before standing on his feet, beginning to walk along the thin top of the wall. He continued until he no longer could see any hints of fake grass down below. Jumping down he started walking again.

The night was oddly quiet he noticed it the moment he stepped away from Yogi in the clearing. The only sound was his boots walking onto the grass and he wasn't sure he liked the silence. He kept his hood on, feeling as though it helped conceal his identity from possible enemies in the area—mostly Ivy who he knew was still trying to make things difficult with collecting the three runes.

All of a sudden he felt eyes watching his back. It was that same sensation of uncertainty of what would happen next that creped up into his mind. He kept walking despite feeling eyes watching his every movement. But he had to admit that eyes watching him made him slightly uncomfortable and on edge. He felt his shoulders tense as the sound of quick feet ran across from behind. He quickly whirled around with his hand outstretched glowing blue with a ball of energy ready to throw it at his stalker.

His eyes darted from left to right, only seeing darkness but that still didn't calm his nerves. Whatever it had been was hiding which only told him who ever it was was a threat, especially in a place he wasn't familiar with such as Lim Fay. As far as he knew, every living thing here was an enemy.

He glared at the darkness. The blue light radiating off his hand could only go so far which meant it didn't help him see within the shadows. He took cautious steps towards the darkness getting himself prepared to attack when ready. But just as he was about to take another step something strong shoved him back. He flew at a short distance landing on his back with a thud.

Groaning he sat up quickly but felt something wrap around his ankle before yanking him in the air and threw him a short distance yet again. He felt the wind rush out of him as he was flung in the air. This time he landed on his front.

He fell unconscious for a few seconds before waking up. His throat emitted another pained groan as he pushed himself up with one of his hands. Footsteps ran towards him from the left and it was more then one pair.

His magic flared up in the palm of his hands. He lifted one of them towards where he heard the sound of shuffling feet and threw a large blast of magic in that direction. He heard the feet come to an abrupt stop. Pushing himself back to his feet quickly he looked at what he had frozen. Inside the ice were distorted dark figures with red eyes staring right back at him. They appeared to be muscular in the chest and upper arms. They had no facial features but some of them had their mouths open reveal sharp jagged teeth, they also had long claws. In a word, they looked mostly like shadows just like the ones he and Yogi had run from inside Laisra. . .

The serious look on Gareki's face turned into surprise as he came to realize that these shadows were the ones he and Yogi had run from. "Holy shit—"

Quick feet came from behind but he was quick to turn around and act fast. Crouching down he pulled his hand into a fist and slammed it to the ground creating ice to spread out over the ground all around him, it froze the shadows that were running towards him. He glared at them before standing up, looking everywhere around him for some one in particular.

"I know you're here. Show yourself, Karoku!" He yanked off his hood to see better.

It was dead silent. Gareki continued to glare at his surroundings waiting for a single noise. Minutes ticked by but nothing appeared. He sighed. "Fine, I guess I'm going to have to force you out," he said quietly. Lifting his hand upwards he formed a bright blue light and snow, summoning his glaive. The heavy cold staff dropped into his palm, Gareki wrapped his fingers around it before bringing it down so both hands were grasping it. The long curved blade reflected the moonlight. He focused his magic through his weapon, feeling it pulse by the touch of his fingers.

Magic slipped down to the blade and gradually made it glow blue. "I never thought you'd hide from me." He brought his eyes back up eyeing the darkness circling him.

A cold sensation ghosted up Gareki's back until it reached his left ear, cold hands placed themselves on his shoulders. "Who says I'm hiding." A voice whispered sending goose bumps down his neck.

Gareki immediately spun around, swinging his glaive where Karoku had been but only ended up hitting thin air. He heard a deep chuckle in his other ear. "Nice try, but you gotta be quicker than that."

Gareki growled, swinging his glaive in the other direction he'd heard the voice. Once more he hit nothing but air. His jaw clenched in annoyance. "Stop playing games with me and show yourself."

Suddenly in his peripheral vision he saw Karoku appear. He looked the same, the same sinister look in his red eyes and that same stupid smirk as if he were planning something. "Try to be more patient. You need to learn to be a bit more. . . _ **fun**_."

Gareki stood up strait and turned towards him. "Cut the crap. What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

There was a cracking sound. It sounded small but slowly grew louder as the seconds passed. Gareki stayed faceing Karoku, keeping his eyes on the man while ignoring the noise.

Karoku crossed his arms. "Well it seems that your so called ice has broken and now you're outnumbered."

In the corner of his eyes Gareki could see the shadows he had frozen in ice had broken out and were now moving towards him. Karoku held his hand up causing them all to halt. "Stop, he's mine, you can have the blonde one once he gets here."

Gareki's eyes snapped back to Karoku once he heard that. His heart suddenly lurched in his chest. "Yogi." He whispered causing Karoku's smirk to widen.

"Yes, your little friend is on his way here, apparently he's worried about you. I've been watching the two of you, Gareki. Tracking you down was a challenge but," He shrugged,"I'm here and now it's time for you two to die and this time your soul will be mine entirely."

Gareki glowered at him, hands tightened around his weapon. "Don't you even think to harm Yogi or take my soul. I'm not running away this time Karoku, you can't win this time."

"Oh, but I know I will. I'm more determined then anything now especially sine I've gotten the news that you've dodged dying the first time I took your soul. You got it restored, didn't you?" His red pupils bore into Gareki's slits.

Dark eyebrows creased. "How the hell did you know that?" Gareki's voice was deep.

Karoku shrugged again. "I'm right then."

"Answer my question." Gareki warned, lifting up his weapon so it pointed directly at Karoku's face.

"Fine, if you insist. I found out because I felt the shadow beast that I put inside of you die and that automatically told me that you were still alive and you had obviously gotten your soul restored. You got lucky, but believe me when I tell you this, it won't happen again. Not this time."

Gareki looked at him cautiously. His eyes started to glow bright blue. The darkness surrounding them made them appear brighter then average. "You won't kill me, I won't allow it," he said through clenched fangs that grew slightly longer.

Karoku lost his smug smirk at the challenge and cocked his head back while staring at Gareki through his eyelashes. "Then come at me then if you want to prove it."

Gareki's teeth clenched as a low growl broke loose from his throat. He lurched forward bringing his glaive to the side with both hands clenched around it ready to swipe it through the Death Keeper.

"Karoku!" He yelled angrily, voice echoing against the cave walls.

* * *

Yogi looked up hearing Gareki's voice echoing a short distance away from where he was located.

He stopped in his tracks and listened closely. It sounded muffled against the walls making it hard for him to understand what he was saying. But after a few seconds he gasped quietly after he heard the name being echoed.

His eyebrows furrowed as he moved his eyes towards the ground."Karoku?" Yogi shook his head," Oh no." He began running in the direction Gareki's voice had come from but watched his path for traps ahead.


	4. Brutality

Blade hit against solid darkness, resisting against Gareki's weapon. Gareki stared at the dark clouds Karoku had coming out of his hands like thick black fog with electrical currents zapping from it. It was stronger then it looked. Some of it snapped at him causing him to jump back in order not to get electrocuted.

He landed on his feet. The toes of his boots cutting into the dirt from the force of his jump.

Gareki held his glaive upwards in front of his body, ready to guard himself as he eyed Karoku's shadow army surrounding them. He wondered if they were going to jump into the fight and attack him, but they stayed still and only watched.

"Don't worry," said Karoku, making the black fog disappear,"This fight is only between me and you."

Gareki focused his glowing eyes back onto Karoku's darkly dressed form. "It better be," he said cautiously causing Karoku's smirk to reappear. "Okay, then let it be a promise for both of us. No interferences. Deal?"

He squinted at him. His face had lies written all over it causing Gareki not wanting to trust him but he would agree just to get the talking over with.

"Deal. Now shut your mouth and fight me!" Gareki jumped forward into the air heading for Karoku with the blade of his glaive pointed strait at him.

Karoku quickly side stepped causing Gareki's blade to deeply dig into the Earth instead of penetrating flesh like he had intended, but he acted quickly and ripped it out, hurling it strait towards Karoku again. The Death Keeper ducked forward in lightning speed missing the blade once more that surely would have cut his head off by the quickness Gareki had swung it with. He heard the sound of the blade cutting into the air with a loud whooshing sound as it passed over him.

Karoku saw an opening in Gareki's stance so he pulled his arm back and threw a fist right into his stomach making him retreat a step back, bothering to hide the pain on his face.

Karoku noticed this as Gareki came towards him with another attempt of an attack. He swiftly moved aside with that one too before pulling his hand into a fist and hit Gareki with it again but this time in the face, sending him falling back. He landed on the ground on his backside, mouth bleeding from the impact. He felt it sliding down until it reached the side of his face. He groaned quietly feeling the aching pain in his abdomen.

Karoku chuckled quietly, he shook his head slowly. "Don't you act as if that other punch didn't hurt, cause I know it did." He eyed Gareki on the ground, wiping the blood from his mouth while glaring up at him with those fiery blue eyes of his, they were looking at him with so much hatred that Karoku swore he could feel it, but he didn't care. The man walked closer to the prince and kicked his legs hard before moving over to his stomach and gave him a kick there too. "Get up so we can continue! We're wasting precious time." He snapped.

Gareki waited a few seconds to recover before sitting up. "Don't you dare tell me what to do— "

That earned him another kick to the stomach which threw him back to the ground causing a fit of coughs to break free from his throat. Karoku smiled triumphantly. He crouched down next to Gareki's head waiting till he stopped coughing before he gripped his chin forcing his head to face him, he then whispered: "You're not so strong, are you? You're weak all because of that Outsider you're hanging around with."

Gareki looked up at him still with a flaring anger in his eyes. "Stop talking as if you know me, cause you don't." His words were harsh but didn't hurt the Death Keeper a single bit.

"Oh I do. I know that you were banished all for the sake of an Outsider. It surprises me considering the fact that you two should be at each other's throats but instead you're helping him. What a disappointment of a prince you are or should I say, _**were**_ as in you _**were**_ a prince? Your kingdom isn't going to want you back after an offense like this you've done."

Gareki sniffed unaffected by his words. "Oh really?" He asked flatly.

Karoku leaned in closer to his face before answering, "Really." Right after he said that Gareki spat blood in his face.

"You know nothing!" Gareki gripped his weapon and lunged forward ready to throw another attack. Karoku wiped the blood from his face before quickly standing up strait, moving from left to right every time Gareki swung his glaive at him. He began to laugh hysterically as Gareki missed every chance.

"You're the same just like last time we fought, weak and easily angered." Gareki missed another hit and inwardly grew more and more frustrated each time he did. "Keep laughing but watch me wipe that smirk off your face!" He warned. Karoku continued to dodge his strikes and after Gareki's statement he laughed harder. "Oh, I'd like to see you try!" He taunted.

That was it. That was as much as Gareki could take of this man's smug attitude. The slits in his eyes tightened as his anger increased. He jumped forward pulling his glaive up next to his head so his elbows were heading strait for Karoku first.

Unluckily for Karoku, he wasn't paying attention thanks to his laughter which left him wide open for Gareki to land a hit on him. He slammed his elbow hard into the Death Keeper's nose, causing blood to gush out as he stumbled back a couple steps, holding his nose painfully. But Gareki wasn't done. He swung his glaive hard at Karoku once more and this time he landed a hit with it.

The staff part hit Karoku square in his forehead knocking him to the ground with a thud. Gareki heaved a sigh before walking over to him, glaring down at the body that was grabbing his face in pain. "My fucking face you son of a bitch, ugh! You better not have broken it!"

"For my sake, it better be. And don't call my mother a bitch." Gareki stood over him, leaning down he picked him up by the shirt with one hand hoisting him up so there faces were close. "You don't want to make me angrier than I am now."

Karoku slowly dropped his hands away from his bleeding forehead and nose. "Do I?" He asked in a mocking tone, another smirk pulled at his lips. Gareki threw him to the ground immediately pointing the blade of his glaive at the man's broken nose. "You dare question me!? It's like you have a death wish." He seethed.

Karoku chuckled, shrugging off the warning in his angered voice. "Why would I want something like that when I'm already dead?" The pupils in his eyes reddened brighter.

Gareki glowered at him opening his mouth to say something else but he was interrupted by a loud growling sound coming up behind him. He turned half way only to see a big black cloud of Karoku's shadow army coming for him fast. It impacted him, throwing his body off of the Death Keeper. He rolled on the ground, coming to a stop on his front side.

Recovering quickly he pushed himself to his hands and knees but was shoved back down to the ground, his weapon was quickly snatched from his grasp and thrown aside at a distance he couldn't reach. Just when he was about to reach his hand out to summon it towards him, both of his arms were held together roughly behind his back by a cold hand that wasn't his own.

He felt Karoku's presence above him and once he felt cold breath fan his earlobe he started struggling to get loose. "Get off— "

A cold hand clasped his mouth. "Sh sh shh." Hushed Karoku. "Don't make this anymore difficult then it has to be." He whispered. Gareki breathed heavily through his nose from his struggle. In the corner of his eyes he glared at the Death Keeper before speaking incoherent words underneath his cold hand. Karoku could tell he was cursing a lot by whatever he'd said. He removed his hand from his mouth. "What was that?"

"Fuck you you damn liar!"

"Oh, what did I do that deserves that name?"

"Don't play dumb. You lied to me about this being a fight only between me and you. Not your damn army of shadows!"

"You're right I did lie, but you should have seen it coming. Now, word of advise, never trust a Death Keeper." With that said he recovered Gareki's mouth with his hand.

"Now that that's over I can finally focus on getting your soul, but let's make this fun, shall we?" Something strong wrapped around his wrists binding them together. Karoku moved the hand away that had been holding his wrists together and instead roamed it along the side of Gareki's abdomen causing him to jerk and let out another angry sentence beneath the man's hand.

Ignoring his angry yells, Karoku continued to move it lower and lower until he reached the Avatar's hip he then slipped his hand underneath both layers of Gareki's jacket and shirt bringing his cold fingers onto the other male's soft skin. He ran his nails over it causing unpleasant and unwanted goosebumps to crawl up Gareki's back and sides. He struggled more but pressure to his arms had him abruptly stop.

"You don't want these arms of yours broken do you? I suggest you keep still." Karoku warned. Gareki said something else that came out angry but Karoku continued to ignore. He moved his hand further up until he came to the Avatar's chest, touching on his pecks before bringing his fingers onto one of his nipples.

The slits in Gareki's eyes dilated before his eyelids widened all together. He jerked again causing more pressure to be added to his arms. He winced.

Karoku twisted the sensitive skin on his chest making Gareki clench his jaw preparing to conceal the noise threatening to come out. _What the hell is he doing to me? Trying to molest me!_ He thought in disgust. _You need to focus, Gareki. Focus on your magic anything but this right now._ He urged himself. Karoku leaned his head down until his mouth was near Gareki's ear. "I have a new so called trick that'll allow me to have your soul entirely this time without performing a ritual." His voice sounded breathy and creepy to his ears.

Karoku bit down on his ear before licking it and before Gareki could react he was shoved onto his backside by the hand still on his chest. The hand that had been over his mouth, it was gone momentarily before being added over his mouth again.

Karoku was on top of him now, a wicked smirk playing against his features. "I'm going to need a moan from you, and if you fight back that'll only make what I'm about to do to you longer so I suggest you don't struggle. Just giving you a warning before this commences."

Gareki felt the pulse of his own magic through his hands but before he could focus on it completely to use it, Karoku was leaving tongue trails along his neck and the hand covering his mouth removed itself.

Gareki struggled against his strong body, not caring what Karoku said earlier about doing so . "Stop it!" He yelled as long ago memories of his younger self being touched by royal hands resurfaced into his mind. Despite his yelling and fighting for him to stop Karoku continued to forcefully pleasure him.

Gareki felt his heart beating faster as panic awoke inside his chest. Everything Karoku was doing suddenly became overwhelming and everything was happening way too quickly. Blue eyes widened before they shut tightly. "I said STOOOP!" His entire body glowed an aura of bright blue before a strong blast left his chest, hitting strait into Karoku, sending him flying back. His body hit the ground.

Gareki sat up quickly focusing ice to his wrists he pulled them both apart causing Karoku's cuffs of dark shadows to break free. Standing up, he reached his hand out towards his glaive and summoned it towards him, it flew in his direction before he closed his fingers around it. Frost grazed over the black staff as soon as it made contact with his hand as well as 5 golden bracelets appearing up it's shaft. They ended until they reached the blade, Transforming it into a more curved, bigger machete blade with two sharp jagged edges near the curved tip. It glowed blue as he pointed it at the Death Keeper.

His eyes roamed over his new weapon wondering why it had suddenly upgraded? It looked stronger as if it could do more damage and it also felt different—he wasn't speaking about it's new heavy weight, he was feeling an odd pulse of magic coursing through it but he identified it as being his own which was weird because he'd never been confused by his own magical pulse before, it was just unfamiliar. His body also felt different like he was new into the world. Just like he'd felt when he and Yogi combined. Maybe this was an effect of his magic growing stronger. If so, then he liked it.

He focused his sights back onto Karoku. He walked over to him seeing that his eyes were closed but he knew that didn't necessarily mean he was unconscious. Blue-grey eyes stared down at the body with hatred and disgust.

Thoughts of his tongue licking up his neck and the roaming hand that touched his chest made anger boil up inside of him again. He ran a rough sleeve along his neck where Karoku's tongue had touched. He may have been banished from his kingdom but he still was a prince who wanted respect and what Karoku had just done he deserved to be destroyed for his actions. Even if he was already dead he would still try to kill him until he was no longer on the Earth's soil.

That same aura from earlier covered his body again as he allowed his anger to fuel his magic. The aura covered the blade on his glaive as he held it up with both hands as if he were holding a knife.

"Let this be the end of you, demon." He threw down his arms ready to make the plunge but before he could, Karoku gripped onto the blade that was now right above his heart. He smirked as his eyes opened. "A demon I am but destroyed I'm not." He disappeared into black fog leaving blood where his fingers had been on his weapon.

Gareki stood up strait glaring at his surroundings. But the only thing he saw was the shadow army returning his glare with those beedy red eyes. They all ran towards him like a dark stampede. Gareki prepared himself but suddenly Karoku appeared between them, holding both arms out. "Hold it, this is my fight." The dark shadows stopped and Karoku dropped both his arms back down to his sides before turning back to Gareki. "Shall we then?" He smiled.

"This better not be another one of your lies."

He blew out a short laugh through his nose. "It depends." He began walking clock wise causing Gareki to walk clock wise as well in order to spred distance between them. For all he knew, Karoku was going to try something sneaky, he didn't want to be a victim of it.

"Whatever, I'm not trusting you. I never did and I never will, especially not after that disgusting thing you did to me."

Karoku crossed his arms continuing to walk. "What? It wasn't like I was asking for much, just a small little moan from you is all."

"How in the hell was that going to benefit you in getting my soul?!" Gareki yelled.

"It was only a fun new way of getting it. You moan, open your mouth and voilà' I take out your soul." He shrugged.

Gareki clenched his jaw. "You're sickening that the thought of that idea would even cross your mind."

"Why?" He smirked mischievously, staring at him through the blue strands of his hair. "Don't tell me that was your first?"

Dirt broke from the ground and darted in all directions as Gareki brought down his glaive in the spot Karoku had been in. A loud growl erupted free from his throat after he realized he'd missed. "Where are you?!" He yanked his weapon out of the ground.

A cold sensation went up his back and he quickly whirled around with his glaive swinging first. He hit nothing.

"It was your first, I'm glad to have taken it!" Came Karoku's voice from the right. Gareki's left forearm fired up like blue flames, he threw a blast of energy at Karoku hitting him in his chest but before he could get up Gareki had him pinned down with ice.

"Don't you even think about it," he said through his fangs. Karoku coughed while laughing. "Here we are again, I never thought you'd get me on the ground twice. Though I guess you are getting stronger all of a sudden. I suppose this has something to do with your troll battle from earlier and the whole thing with you combining with that Outsider."

Gareki stomped his foot onto Karoku's chest before positioning his blade over his face. "You must've been watching us good if you know so much about that."

Karoku stopped laughing but kept his smirk. "You're right, I do know so much about it. Combining I mean."

Gareki's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

Karoku paused for a few seconds in thought. "The ancient ability to combine magic with someone opposite of you goes all the way back to the dark ages. It's really special and rare. I'm surprised you know nothing about it. Especially since this world was saved because of—"

A bright golden light interrupted him. Gareki looked up. Seeing the golden light was all he saw before it dimmed down into a low glow. The next thing he saw was that Karoku's shadow army had all turned golden with their eyes being the shade of white.

Gareki looked confused. "What the hell—" his glaive was snatched from him and thrown aside before both his hands were forcefully held behind his back by strong bindings of dark magic yet again but before he could break them he was captured in a choke hold with one of Karoku's hands zapping with electricity stopping close to his face.

"You better stay still or else I'll electrocute you in which your magic will weaken and you'll die. I know you don't want that to happen now do you especially with that fear of death you have? I may want your soul badly but I want you to die even more, so this is just another way that will satisfy me." His voice was heavy in Gareki's ears.

Gareki glared at him in the corner of his eyes, he opened his mouth—

"Karoku!"

Gareki looked forward. That hadn't been him that said it. Coming from around the corner appeared Yogi, eyes glowing violate against the darkness.

Gareki stared at him in half surprise wondering why he was here? It was dumb of him to walk through the maze alone.

Well, you did it. Spoke his conscience. That's beside the point. Gareki retorted within his thoughts.

He continued to eye Yogi watching as he stopped a few feet in front of them. His face was blank, in other words, serious. He didn't blink that much either as if he did then both his comrade and the Death Keeper would disappear. Gareki averted his eyes over to the shadows that were golden now. Yogi had done that same trick back in Laisra when he'd came to save him from being burned by a pit of fire caused by Karoku's ritual of getting his soul.

Now here he is again, saving my ass. Gareki thought. I'm so going to have to owe he after this.

"Let him go, Karoku or else I'm going to unleash your own shadows onto you." His voice was firm not wavering one bit. That was what Gareki deep down admired about him, Yogi was strong when he needed to be— rather he was strong all the time. . .he always came to help too. He felt like he'd made the right decision to trust him.

There was a moment of silence before a small laugh started. It was quiet at first but gradually got louder. It came as loud and irritating in Gareki's ears which were close to Karoku's mouth. He growled in irritation before picking up his foot and slammed the heel of his boot onto Karoku's toes snapping the man out of his laughter but earned him to get electrocuted by the Death Keeper's hand that covered his mouth sending forceful shocks through out his body. Gareki yelled painfully through his hand, though his screams came out muffled.

"I said let him go!" Yogi yelled angrily, he pulled his sword out and held it up towards him causing the shadows to fly to their initial master to attack him.

Karoku stopped electrocuting Gareki and removed his hand away from the Avatar's mouth. Gareki looked as if he were about to pass out.

Karoku then held his arm out revealing the palm of his hand towards his shadows. "Don't think that same trick will work again."

Black fog and electricity left his hand heading strait for his shadows. As soon as it made contact with them they changed back into darkness, recovering their red eyes. Yogi glared at them as they all turned to face him. Red eyes stared at violet with bad intentions.

Sinister laughter came from Karoku. "I can't believe you thought that would work! Little do you know I figured out your little trick the last time you did it. But points for trying. Now how about we make a deal. You give up now and drop your sword and I'll let your friend here go. What do you say?" He rubbed a thumb over Gareki's cheek causing him to jerk his head away from his touch.

Yogi looked at Gareki who had blood dripping from his mouth. "Don't. . . do it." He rasped weakly causing more blood to fall.

Yogi clenched the handle of his sword with both hands before looking at the long thin blade. What was his next move? If he made any sudden movements of an attack then Karoku would kill Gareki and possibly kill him as well. That was obviously something he didn't want. Slowly he unclenched his sword. He looked back up at Gareki's blank face. His eyes were glowing so brightly and had a message saying, make the right choice. He then looked at Karoku's face, he noticed the broken nose and the bleeding bruise on his forehead.

Good Gareki, you gave him pain like he deserves. Yogi thought.

"Have you made your decision?" Asked Karoku

Yogi's heart thudded in his chest anxiously hoping he had made the right choice. "Yes," He said quietly, looking down at the ground.

"Then what'll it be?"

Yogi swallowed, pursing his lips together before holding out his sword. "I surrender to you." He dropped the sword to the ground and as soon as it did. A shadow had taken it.

Karoku smirked "Good boy." He tighten his arm around Gareki's neck.

"No." Gareki choked out causing Yogi to snap his head up and look at him. "I did my part, now let him go!"

Karoku chuckled, bringing his hand up to Gareki's face forming electricity once more. "Who knew Outsiders could be so gullible. It's just like I told your friend here. Never trust a Death Keeper." With that said he brought his entire hand over Gareki's face and electrocuted him, throwing him to the ground where he screamed in pain as electricity swarmed around his entire body.

"Nooo—!"

"Yes!" Karoku yelled before throwing his head back, laughing hysterically.

Yogi lunged for him landing a punch in his face. "Release him now!"

Karoku wiped the blood from Yogi's punch, he glanced at it on his fingers before glowering dangerously at the Sun Kingdom's prince. He brought up a hand and snapped his fingers causing his dark shadows to slam against Yogi, pushing him back until he fell.

"You are so dead." Karoku yelled, walking up towards him. Yogi sat up preparing to defend himself but suddenly his amulet floated out from his shirt and started to glow. That word he'd said earlier came into his mind again urging him to say it.

"Feuer!" A fire ball appeared in front of his amulet before shooting itself at Karoku. His shadows blocked him from it but ended up disappearing after the impact. His golden sword fell to the ground right in front of Karoku from one of the dispersed shadows he had killed.

Yogi's eyes widened as he lunged to get it. Karoku saw it and bent down to grab it but Yogi threw a fire ball at his hand causing him to jerk away. Yogi grabbed his sword and immediately pointed it at Karoku. "You're going to let us go or so help me I'll execute you here!" Yogi snapped.

His hands were hot and sudden flames covered them as well as the blade of his sword. Oddly enough, the flames didn't hurt or burn him. It felt like a regular body temperature. He wondered how long it would last time time. Unlike previously when it just stopped all of a sudden.

"What the hell, you have the element of fire?!" Karoku yelled in surprise.

"Yeah, and unless you don't want to get burned by it I suggest you let us go. This is my last time asking nicely."

Karoku stared at him before smirking widely. "Oh, this is your last time," he said darkly before lifting both arms out. "Now, you'll get a full taste of my shadow army!" Dark shadows appeared behind him big and menacing. Red eyes stared right at him. Yogi stood his ground preparing himself for when they'd come for him.

"Say goodbye." Karoku threw his arms forward causing all the shadows to fly towards him. Yogi pulled back his sword and swung it. The fire that had been on his blade flew off, heading strait for the shadows.

Apon impact they burst apart, turning into black dust. Behind him he heard a whooshing sound but just when he was about to turn around to see if it had been another group of shadows he was shoved to the ground by them. One after one piled up on him, sucking him into the dark where he couldn't fight nor breath considering the air circulation with the outside world had been blocked off by the amount shadows.

Karoku walked over to the pile and chuckled before glancing behind him at Gareki who had seen everything. "I told you I'd win. But to make this more interesting I want you to see him die." He snapped his fingers causing the shadows to morph into a long tentacle hoisting Yogi up by his neck while both his arms were tide. Gareki's eyes widened as he saw this.

"Let him go, Karoku. Your fight is with me."

"I changed my mind about that, plus you're running out of time to live so technically I 'm already done with you. Such a shame, right? The fact that you just got your life back and here I am stealing it from you yet again. It's sad but I'm not shedding any tears. You both have been a thorn in my side ever since you escaped Laisra and now I'm finally pulling it out. Though I do have to admit, you put up a good fight but now things come to an end."

He turned back to Yogi and with another snap of his fingers the shadows tighten around his neck cutting out his air. Gareki dug his finger nails into the dirt as electrical currents zapped throughout his body. Focus, I need to or else we're both going to die.

Gareki looked over to where his glaive had been thrown. He lifted his shaking hand weakly to summon it, but his magical pulse was weak. His hand dropped down to the ground, too weak to be held up more than a few seconds. His head dropped down as well. His forehead touched the dirt. He laid there, clenching his teeth trying to bare the pain of so many pins and needles sticking at his skin.

 **What kind of prince are you if you just give up?!**

 **You're not going to die, we still have a chance. Why can't you see that?**

 **We watch each others backs from now on. That's how it's going to be on this journey.**

Gareki opened his eyes. "Yogi." His eyebrows creased. "You're right, you've always been, so let's not end it here." He positioned both his hands on either side of his head before pushing himself up. His magical pulse awoke inside of him but it had a different feeling. It came onto him strongly as if something powerful had unleashed itself inside of him. Suddenly the electricity didn't hurt anymore and his strength fully returned. It felt as if the electricity were being absorbed inside his body. He lifted his hand as he focused his magic within it and suddenly the electricity that was surrounding him absorbed into his palm forming a ball of. Gareki stared at it in shock before turning his head towards Yogi who was struggling to breathe. Everything was happening fast again but despite that he concentrated on the element in his hand.

He pulled his hand back and threw it forward, letting loose the ball of electricity, hoping that it wouldn't harm Yogi. For a split second everything was happening in slow motion as he watched the electricity hit the shadows causing them to disperse into dust, not harming Yogi in the slightest. He fell to the ground gasping for breath.

Karoku wasn't happy about it either. He turned towards Gareki, wondering where the electricity had come from but after seeing him free he stood there in shock. Gareki now summoned his glaive into his hands. He pointed it at Karoku as he hurriedly made his way over to Yogi who had grabbed his sword but was still trying to catch his breath.

"Are you okay?" He asked while keeping his glowing blue eyes onto Karoku.

"I'm fine," he breathe, getting to his feet,"How about you?"

Gareki stood up still glaring at Karoku. "Ready to kick some Death Keeper ass."

"That we can agree on."

Karoku looked at them both and smiled. "Tch, are you serious you both are going to gang up on me?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "So you think just because you two combined and suddenly have fire and electricity that you can beat me? That's not going to happen."

"It will." Gareki's eyes flared up. He formed ice darts behind him in a half circle. They floated as the sharp edges pointed at Karoku.

Yogi stood ready with both hands gripped onto the handle of his sword."let's end this."

Karoku dropped his smile and instead had a serious look. "Fine, I wanted to see what new abilities you both have anyway. Let's see what you've got."


	5. Fetal

Yogi quickly appeared in front of Karoku, lashing out, earning himself a cut on the Death Keeper's cheek caused by the tip of his sword. For a split second everything went slow, allowing violet eyes to glare into sinister red pupils. Wrong and dishonest but mostly, unrelenting.

Karoku had been lucky that he could move in lightening speed, otherwise he could have gotten his entire head hacked clean from his shoulders by his sword. Karoku smiled jubilantly as he distanced himself from Yogi.

But as soon as his smile had come, it disappeared as he heard an angry battle cry. Looking up he saw Gareki with his glaive held to the side of his head like a bat ready to swing. He'd jumped high above Yogi coming strait towards him before swinging it where he stood.

 _They're fast!_ Karoku thought. He didn't expect them to suddenly be this way, he was taken aback by it. They we're almost as fast as he was. He moved further back, missing Gareki's big machete blade as it swung right in front of him where he had stood a second ago. But he wasn't cleared. The very tip of the blade ripped across his shirt and into flesh making a long painful slash that felt like cold fire searing through his abdomen. His jaw clenched to conceal a pained noise. He slightly recovered before throwing dark shadows of electrical currents at the Avatar.

Gareki's boots touched the ground before he crouched down, doing a front roll, missing the dark shadows Karoku had thrown before pulling himself up in a kneeled position. He held his glaive in front of his chest, pointing it at Karoku, planning to throw a blast at him from his glowing blade but the Keeper threw more dark shadows at him causing his idea to be interrupted. Gareki immediately held his hand out, forming an ice wall tall enough for his kneeled stature. He missed the dark magic but he heard it wiz past his ears while others crashed against his shield causing it to make loud shattering sounds as it cracked slightly from their strong impact.

Subconsciously he wiped remaining blood from his lips as if more of it was dripping down his chin. He could still taste the copper flavor from it being on his tongue which suddenly brought thoughts about the electricity zapping throughout his entire body. Painful and unsettling but strongly unforgiving. Karoku would get his karma one way or another.

But in order to give it to him he needed to do that element again with the electricity. If it was really an element of magic then he could use it against Karoku. The only problem was that it unexpectedly disappeared as soon as the fight started and he had no clue why. But now that he thought about it, he didn't know how to convoke it like he would do with his ice magic. It just occurred unpredictably and it still came as a surprise to him that he had literally shot electricity out of his hand when all he had been used to for his whole life was using ice.

He wasn't sure if that element was permanent or if it just happened for the moment.

"Gareki?" Came Yogi's voice. He quickly ran over, able to dodge a few blasts from Karoku before he kneeled next to him and his shield that was still being impacted by Karoku's dark magic. "Snap out of it. Now's not the time to be stuck in thought."

Gareki didn't look at him, he kept his eyes on the wall of ice that was constantly breaking tiny peaces by tiny peaces.

"I know, but I'm trying to figure out something." Another loud crash was made to his shield of ice causing a chunk of it to fall off this time. Pieces of ice fell to the ground even more. Yogi looked at the ice that had fallen before looking over to Gareki's hand that glowed blue as he extended his fingers wide and apart. He then lifted his hand towards the shield, placing it against the ice and made the wall bigger in width. The glowing of his hand stopped after he pulled it away. "I just need a moment to contemplate."

"A moment isn't what we have." Yogi urged. "He's stronger than last time, Gareki and at any moment he could easily break your shield—"

"Then make me time." Gareki ordered firmly, this time he turned his head and faced him. "Distract him while I find another spot to hide in and I figure out what I need to know."

Yogi frowned. "What could you possibly be trying to figure out at a time like this—?"

"Come out, come out!" Taunted Karoku who continued hitting the ice shield breaking the parts Gareki had just fixed. "If you two wanted to fight me so bad then why are you hiding?"

Yogi's hand flared up with flames before he stood up and threw it at Karoku hitting him on his pants leg in which he quickly slapped at it trying to set it off.

Yogi kneeled back down next to Gareki who was giving him a strange look, the serious expression vanishing from his features. His voice came out awed. "Since when could you use fire?"

Yogi looked slightly confused before saying, "I thought you knew already. Didn't you see me use it when my amulet suddenly lit up plus the time when I used it with my sword?"

"If you're talking about earlier then no. I was focusing on Karoku or I was caught up in that net of electricity he put me in; too caught up in my own pain to realize fully what was happening around me. Either way I didn't see it. When did it begin to happen?"

"Earlier, with the giant Earth troll. It came onto me out of no where after the troll had thrown you I thought you were dead, I got really angry and then it just happened."

Gareki stared at his hands. They looked normal. No burned marks or red bruised skin. "How the hell is that possible?" He looked back up into his eyes.

"That's just the thing." Yogi grabbed his own hand, running his thumb along his life line. "I didn't know I could do something like this so I don't know how it's possible either. But I'm still trying to figure out how to summon it. Honestly it just surprises me that I can use it again unlike earlier when it suddenly stopped on me as soon as I'd used it on that troll, I'm guessing because it's a new element for me to learn how to control. But I just hope it doesn't stop again especially at a time like this where we have to fight Karoku."

Gareki gave him a steady stare, hanging onto every word he said feeling as though some of his experience was similar with his own. Well the part where his ability over fire had suddenly stopped as soon as he'd used it matched his problem with electricity. "How are you using it now?"

Yogi shrugged. "As far as I know it's only happened when I'm angry or. . .seeing you in a life or death situation or just the plain thought of you being dead. It triggers because of you, mostly."

Gareki searched his eyes finding all of this relatively usful . "That's so weird." He thought about what Karoku had said previously about combining. It had already been in the Arcial Realm since dark ages which sounded impossible to him but he had figured out that it did happen. Although he'd already had this conversation with Yogi and stood positive to his own claims now he was starting to doubt his own opinion about combining not happening in this world.

Karoku was a Death Keeper which meant he had been around longer than anyone. He was ancient so it was more likely he would be more correct about the Arcial Realm's history.

His face turned grim as he realized his thoughts about combining not happening in this world were wrong. It had happened if Karoku said it had. His mother hadn't told him about it. But why?

 **"Thoughts and memories slip minds, even important ones."**

That's what Yogi had said which he figured maybe she really had forgotten or she didn't want to tell him. But still, why?

Many questions but yet no answers.

A loud smack on his ice wall broke him out of his thoughts. He snapped his head up and fixed the broken parts again.

"You said you were trying to contemplate something, so did you?" Asked Yogi.

Gareki looked at him from the corner of his eyes deciding to tell him about his discoveries later when this fight was over. "No. But I was able to figure out that your element over fire has a similar trait to my element."

Confusion swept over Yogi's face again. "How so?"

"Earlier when you were getting strangled I shot out electricity with my own hand. It was also triggered because of you. It's obviously got something to do with us combining." Gareki jerked his head back as a ball of shadows almost zapped him. It flew past his face, missing Yogi as well.

As soon as Gareki had said that he remembered his own experience before asking,"When it happened, did you feel the urge to say a word in German?"

Gareki averted his eyes back onto his his eyebrows pulled together slightly. "German?"

Right, he was from an entirely different world where he'd only learned this world's language so it made sense that he wouldn't know the language he was mentioning.

"It's a language." He replied. "Did you happen to speak it?"

"No."Gareki gave him a strange look." Why does that matter?"

Before Yogi could say another word the shield broke apart completely. Shards of ice fell onto them both as they quickly shielded their eyes with their arms.

Karoku was standing right there next to them, a burned hole in his pants from where Yogi had thrown fire, angry red skin stared back at them. "Your private talk is over, now get up and fight." He moved quickly and before Gareki could stop him Karoku gripped him strongly by the shoulder and flung his body with ease away from Yogi. He flew through the air before his back smacked against a stone wall causing him to drop his glaive before he slid down and fell to the ground like heavy weight . He felt faint.

"Gareki?" He heard Yogi call out to him. His voice was distant in his ears and the world around him suddenly switched back and forth from light to darkness. He felt everything spinning as if below his fingers the Earth was in a dizzying motion.

 _I need to get up or else I'm going to faint_. He heard the sound of quick foot steps shuffling and he felt the pulse of magic hitting against one another. They were opposites, both sun and darkness. Both Yogi and Karoku were fighting which meant he needed to join them. _Get up, Yogi needs me._

Reaching out he touched the frosted staff of his glaive before wrapping his fingers around it. Pushing himself up lazily to his hands and knees he managed to put himself in another kneeling position with both his arms managing to be held above his thigh. They felt heavy for him to lift but he pushed his weakness away.

He gripped his weapon with two hands before pointing the blade at Karoku who was too busy fighting Yogi he failed to notice.

Gareki inhaled a heavy breath as he felt his brain spin with light headedness but he focused hard on his magic, sending it through his arms and hands until it reached the front of his weapon, making an indigo aura swirl around it.

He leveled his eyes down until they were at the same target the tip of his blade was at. He aimed at Karoku, watching as the tip of his blade swarmed with a blue light, forming into a swirling ball. Small flares of white light sparked from it like sizzling fireworks.

He scrutinized as both Yogi and Karoku fought, both moved on rapid speed making it slightly difficult to keep his target steady on just Karoku. Finally they both stopped moving as they came weapon to weapon, rejecting one another's strength as they pushed together.

Karoku had created a blade with his shadows making it strong just as Yogi's own sword. Both of them tried to conquer one another. He waited for the right moment for Yogi to move out of the way and as soon as he did he took the shot. The long beam shoved Karoku far away from Yogi even causing him to break right through a stone wall it had been that strong.

Yogi watched as stones crumbled, gathering more dust where a big hole in the wall was, he then turned to Gareki with wide eyes. He hadn't expected that to happen and he was glad Gareki had a good aim or else he would be in Karoku's position right now. "Nice shot." He offered.

Gareki lowered his glaive and heaved a low sigh before standing up but suddenly everything spun and the next thing he knew he was falling backwards and everything was turning black.

He felt an arm and a hand on his back before he was slowly lowered to the ground. Warm fingers caressed his cheek before everything suddenly came back to him in an overwhelming rush as if life had just been breathed back into him. Snapping his eyes open he looked up to see Yogi staring down at him with worry pulling at his eyebrows. Violet eyes searching his face.

"That was expected." Yogi whispered, holding the back of his head for support. Gareki realized his back was supported by the ground.

"What was?" His voice came out quieter then he had wanted but Yogi heard him all the same. He looked away from him and instead glanced at the crumbled stone wall where Karoku didn't appear. He did get a good shot. He turned back to Yogi.

"You falling out like this. I was waiting for it to happen."

Gareki shut his eyes shacking his head slowly at the sudden thought of being thankful for having such a caring comrade right next to him before lifting himself away from the blonde's supportive hands. The warmth from his touch against his cheek lingered before tingling away. "Is that why you caught me so quickly?"

"Sums it up, yes." Yogi stood up holding his hand out for him to grab. Gareki glanced at it before grabbing onto his wrist and allowed him to pull him to his feet. "Thanks, I'm fine now." He dropped his wrist before picking up his glaive.

"Alright, just don't let him do that to you again. I already got scared from the thought of you being dead by the time I got here, I don't need to be thinking that again." His words were sincere, a bit too sincere but he didn't care. He may have been afraid to admit his feelings but he definitely wouldn't hide how much Gareki's safety meant to him.

Gareki nodded, taking his words into serious consideration and gratitude. "You won't have to." As soon as the words passed his lips Karoku stumbled out of the pile of broken stone. Stone dust was powdering his clothing, face, and hair. His eyes were intense and angry and when he spoke it sounded as if he were speaking through clenched teeth, which he was. "I have to hand it to you Gareki, that hit you got on me was good, definitely the taste of power I wanted from you. But can you continue?" He shoved stone dust from his shirt causing all white to fall to the ground.

Gareki wittingly smirked couldn't help but to inwardly think Karoku's state was laughable. "I'd say I could take your challenge but right now your appearance is making me wonder if you can." He joked.

"It's nice of you to think this is funny but that's understandable. You should get all your laughs out now before you die." Karoku put on a fake smile.

Gareki lost his smirk instead focused a glare on him. "Is that supposed to be a threat?" His voice lost all humor.

"That's exactly what it is. Both me and you know only one of us are going to win, that's going to be me. Obviously."

"Shut up, Karoku!" Five balls of fire appeared over Yogi's head as he gripped his sword in both hands. "I'm sick of your lips moving. You aren't going to kill Gareki, not when I'm here." His voice was firm.

"Is that so?" He asked cautiously.

"I meant what I said unless you want to test me, in which my patience with you is wearing thin so I suggest you don't provoke me anymore."Gareki glanced at him through his peripherals and noticed the grave expression that definitely showed he meant what he'd said.

Karoku's smirk widened and within a blink of an eye, he was gone. Gareki growled. "Dammit, he did it again." They both came back to back looking all around themselves. "Stay close to me, he's obviously going to try something."

"How can you be so sure?" Yogi asked as he eyed the trees around them.

"He did the same thing with me before you got here. I know he's going to try an attack on us."

"You don't know how right you are!"

Both of them looked up only to see Karoku flying right above them with a large dark cloud of shadows above his head. It was forming bigger and bigger, blocking out most of the rays of moonlight that came shining into the cave.

Moans echoed from the black cloud, sounding like phantoms, they swirled like an upcoming tornado but much more darker and menacing. Karoku raised his hands out as a cold wind blew. Both Yogi and Gareki covered there eyes and held their breaths as small dirt flew. After a moment dirt stopped flying providing Gareki a chance to breathe in the air, smelling nothing but a stench of burnt ash causing his nostrils to tingle.

Karoku chuckled an evil laugh. "Let this be the end of you!" Both his arms were thrown down towards them causing the large cloud of dark shadows to swiftly fly down, heading strait for them leaving dark trails of black dust as they flew downward. Echoing screams left them.

Gareki pulled back his glaive summoning magic to the blade before he swung it in thin air allowing a wave of ice to hit the shadows. The ice hit against them causing them to disappear but then they suddenly regenerated and came flying down again.

"The hell," Gareki whispered in surprise. Yogi shot all five fire balls at them which slowed them down by ripping off some of their body parts but they only regenerated back again.

The shadows had reached them, lashing out at them with long claws. Gareki side stepped quickly to avoid getting his face scratched off. But more came and immediately swarmed around him, continuing to lash out with their claws ripping and taring his jacket. He swung his glaive again, cutting most of them in half while the others still pestered him.

He threw blasts at them sending them flying away from him. He glanced over to Yogi seeing he too was in his own fight but was clearly equally outnumbered. He took a step closer to him about to provide help but was scratched on his shoulder. Claw marks had ripped through three layers. Jacket, T shirt and flesh he almost yelled at the burning sensation crawling down his arm but he managed a loud grunt instead.

More shadows came for him. Red eyes blazing brightly. He gripped his glaive preparing to hurl another blast but his injured arm wasn't cooperating, it stung immensely. He had to lurch to his right in order to get out of the way. His uninjured shoulder hit the ground. He turned on his back side and lifted himself up in a sitting position only to see the shadows make a turn and head for him again.

Gareki lifted his hand but realized his glaive wasn't in it. He turned his head to the side, seeing it laying a few feet away. He had dropped it during the fall but so many shadows had tried to swarm him he hadn't noticed.

He reached for it. Finger tips touching it for a quick second before he was shoved aside by shadows. He gritted his teeth as pain launched up his arm caused by contact of pointed blades of grass against his wound. His eyes shut tightly to gather his strength again and to once again conceal a pained shout. Opening them he saw the shadows coming for him, their claws coming first.

He pulled himself up strait before crawling towards his glaive, picking it up this time as he did. He dropped into a sitting position before shooting a laser beam at them from the very tip of his blade. He had shot down five but they revived, continuing towards him.

 _Every hit I give them is just going to be a waist if they can just regenerate. Dammit we don't have time for this!_

He dodged aside, missing another hit. He gazed at Yogi for a split second to see once again how he was holding up in his own fight. He was still standing but was visibly agitated by the shadow's regenerating ability. "They won't stay down!" He yelled throwing another set of fire balls from his hand.

"Of course they won't, they will stop at nothing until you are both dead!"

Gareki snapped his head up, seeing Karoku leaning against a tree standing on it's branch a couple feet up, smirking widely. He brought his head back down as a scream was heard from his right, more shadows were closing in on him.

His eyes flared up a glowing blue in anticipation as he gripped his glaive slightly tighter, the pain in his shoulder was still intense but it was bearable now. _They're all around me and moving quickly but I can still land a hit on all of them._ He moved his feet apart, standing ready as they got closer from all sides. He waited, feeling his magic flow through his glaive.

Once they were close enough he brought it down, digging it into the ground and as he did a strong gush of frigid air broke free from his weapon. Winter breeze blew over the shadows causing them to pause in mid flight as frost covered them in a rapid speed.

He waited again in which they stayed frozen for a good 3 minutes before breaking loose. They were heading strait towards him again. Gareki picked one in the face before cutting through the other three before they could regenerate he spoke up, "You're a damn coward if you're allowing your shadows to do your dirty work. Bring your ass down here and fight before I come up there and fight you myself!" He snapped angrily.

Karoku emitted another laugh. "I'd like to see you try."

Gareki glared at him before growling. "Fine," he said under his breath before quickly swinging his glaive to an upcoming shadow that came inches close to scratching him, he killed them before swinging it in the other direction, killing four shadows as his blade cut right through them. He turned to his right only to see three more shadows coming his way.

The first one flew close to him before screaming loudly with it's claws coming towards him first. Gareki waited till it came a bit closer before jumping up until it was right under him. He dropped back down, crushing the shadow with the bottom of his boots. It disappeared in black dust before slowly regenerating underneath his shoes. Gareki stomped on it one good time before focusing on the other two.

Their screams filled his ears as he lifted his uninjured arm, spreading his fingers apart as a ball of light appeared before he threw it at the shadows. He formed a second one so it could hit them both.

On impact they froze but no sooner had he done it they unfroze and flew at him again.

Gareki braced himself for another attack but before he could defend himself a white blast shot them away. He turned left and saw Yogi holding out his amulet. It was glowing between his fingers. But aside from that, he too had been injured. He had a few scratches here and there and was bleeding. Luckily none of them were deep cuts like his own was.

"We need to go," He said earnestly, keeping a firm hold on half of his amulet as he walked over to him. Gareki looked at him as if he had said something in an entirely different language. "What?" He asked.

"We need to leave, we're wasting our time here, with him and theses shadows. He's only going to weaken us so we can be an easy target for him."

Gareki opened his mouth about to say something but in the corner of his eye he saw a black beam coming strait towards them. He shoved Yogi down ending up on top of him before turning his body slightly, lifting his hand up and formed an ice dome around them. Both of them heard the sound of the beam scratch against the ice above them going right across before it stopped.

Gareki paused above Yogi as he dropped his arm and eyed the thick sealing of ice. He sighed closing his eyes for a few seconds before opening them to look down at Yogi. He noticed there close position before awkwardly pulling himself off of the blonde.

Yogi quirked his lips to hide some of his embarrassment. "We still need to leave—"

"And what just leave him here so he can continue following us constantly trying to get my soul? I don't think so. We stay here and fight." Gareki ordered sternly. He made a move to stand up but Yogi grabbed his wrist pulling him back down causing pain to shoot up his injured limb.

Gareki growled painfully beforw he jerked away from him landing back into a sitting position. He held his shoulder before pulling his hand away revealing blood covering his palm.

"Oh, shit I'm sorry—" Yogi reached for his arm causing Gareki to yell at him,"Don't touch me!"

He pulled his hand away watching as Gareki stared at him cautiously with strands of black hair in front of his glowing eyes. He returned his bloody hand back over his painful wound. His face pulled at the pain before he sighed through his lips.

The intense glare in his eyes wavered before going away completely leaving behind a less fierce look. "Sorry, it just hurts. Didn't mean to yell at you like that."

Yogi nodded in understanding. "Understood, I get it but are you okay?"

Gareki nodded. "I'll treat it latter after we get out of this fight."

"So you agree with my idea now?"

"I didn't say that. Yogi if we leave now don't you understand he'll be chasing after us?"

"Yeah, I do and trust me I want to kill him completely just as much as you do but what's the point of staying here where he'll just be a coward and make us fight with his shadows just to weaken us?"

"We need to attack him head on." Gareki suggested.

"Not with your arm like that." You pointed at the long claw marks that looked to long for Gareki to heal. At a time like this they didn't have time to wait for him to heal. "How about we run for now and then we'll face him again after we've healed and regained most of our magic back?"

Gareki didn't like the idea of running from Karoku but he had to admit his magic did feel weaker all because of those shadows. He sighed again before reluctantly agreeing. "Okay, but you better be able to run fast to catch up with me."

"I can manage." Yogi stood up just as Gareki did but no sooner had they done it the ice barrier was cracking and there was this loud scratching again, it didn't take Gareki long to figure out it was that beam Karoku had tried to kill them with; once he had figured it out his entire barrier shattered. He gasped lightly as he saw that the beam was about to drop right onto them but before it could he formed another shield. A wall of ice. His injured arm bled even more now that pressure was no longer being added to it.

But he had to keep both arms out in order for the wall to not shatter. But small cracks broke from the surface as the beam became stronger. "Yogi, go!"

"But what about you?" He stayed put.

"I'm right behind you, just go!" He stressed. Yogi turned and began running in the only direction available despite the path he'd already taken to get here. Shadows tried to stop him but he shot them down with blasts of light. He turned back to see Gareki still holding up his shield.

Gareki watched as it further cracked but before it could shatter he jumped aside out of the way where the beam shot down in the spot he'd been standing. Shards of ice fell to the ground from his broken shield. He ducked and covered the back of his head before reaching out, grabbing a hold of his glaive. He then got to his feet and shot a blast at Karoku who wasn't quick enough this time to dodge it.

The Keeper fell to the ground, landing on his stomach. He pushed himself up and glared at Gareki. Lifting his hand he threw a dark ball of magic at him. Gareki flipped out of the way he did this with two more shots from Karoku before making a break for it after Yogi.

"Where do you think you're going?!" He yelled, grabbing a hold of Gareki's shoe causing him to trip. Gareki growled at him, eyes sparking up as he looked at him. He forced his foot free before getting back up to his feet.

"Don't think you can just run away because I'll find you!" Karoku stood up. "You can't possibly think you can just run and be through with me because you're not. I'm always going to be a problem." He started to laugh that insane evil laugh of his, irking Gareki strongly. He ended up punching him in the face, hard.

His head went to the side from Gareki's fist.

"Trust me, it isn't over," he said deeply before turning on his heel running over to Yogi who waited for him. "Let's just go." Gareki muttered. They both turned and ran.

Karoku glared at Gareki's back as he ran farther and farther away. A small smirk pulled at one side of his mouth. "Oh it's definitely not over. I wanted them dead and that's exactly what I'll get."

He lifted his arms up, facing his palms to the sky. His hands outlined purple aura as he summoned his shadows. Dark figures flew up above him, swarming in a circle in a rapid motion. Cold air ruffled his hair and clothing as he continued to hold his arms out. A dark laugh left his throat as even more shaws swarms around him, closing in around his body before he vanished leaving a group of shadows to chase after both Yogi and Gareki.

* * *

Gareki clenched his palm over his bleeding shoulder as both he and Yogi continued to run from the dark shadows chasing them.

"How are you holding up?!" Yogi asked as he threw balls of light back at the shadows. He knew they would regenerate back but he did it to slow them down.

"I'm fine, just keep running!" Gareki responded, feeling more blood soak in the sleeve of his torn jacket.

They'd been running for a total of three minutes since leaving Karoku, but some of his shadows had followed. Yogi fell toward to the ground as one of the shadows lunged for him with it's claws.

Gareki stopped running and turned to look at him. Shadows came for him fast in which Gareki had to act quickly. He forced his hand away from his injured shoulder and held it out before throwing a blast.

The shadows dodged away from Yogi as the blast past them.

Yogi exhaled a sigh of relief as he picked himself back up. "Thanks."

Gareki was about to say you're welcome but was cut off by screams from the shadows. He looked in the corner of his eyes and saw them coming. "We need to keep moving." He added his hand back to his shoulder and began running again. Yogi followed suit.

All the while hearing the screams behind them. "What's your plan?!" Gareki asked.

Yogi turned to him. "What are you talking about? I don't have a plan."

Gareki glanced at him with a small glare. "You seriously didn't think these shadows would be chasing us?"

"I did but I was hoping we'd loose them by now." He defended.

"That wont happen easily."

Both of them continued to run and as they did it didn't take them long to reach a dead end at a water fall. The Earth beneath them had turned into wet rocks standing in different sizes making it hard to run on. They both had to climb over some which slowed them down.

Gareki climbed up a rock after Yogi had done so. He was about to jump down but electricity zapped him from behind. It didn't hurt but it did knock the air from his lungs causing his mind to go blank before he blacked out. He fell forward but was caught into Yogi's arms who had seen the whole thing.

He hugged Gareki's upper body before pulling him away from the rock. He crouched, setting his body down gently on some flat rocks before glaring up at Karoku who stood on a circling swarm of shadows. He chuckled. "End of the line Blondy." His hand sparked with electricity.

"You just don't know when to give up." Yogi spat.

Karoku stopped laughing but smirked. "What can I say I'm thirsty for revenge." He shrugged.

"I warned you about hurting Gareki." He clenched his hands into fists.

"Psh, he's not dead yet so you shouldn't be mad at me."

"After everything you've done so far I do still have the right to be mad at you. But now you've crossed the line. I've loathed you ever since I first saw your face."

"I get why you feel this way about me. It's always been because of him." He nodded his head toward Gareki. "After all, I am the one that told you your true feelings for the Avatar, you realized it and now you're like a body guard for him it only makes sense why you hate me. You must really love him."

"I do and I'd do anything to keep him out of harms way, so don't you dare try and hurt him."

"That won't be an easy request," Karoku said slowly.

"Well you sure as hell better make it easy."

Suddenly Gareki groaned as he sat up rubbing his head. Yogi glanced at him from the corners of his eyes before looking back toward Karoku. "Let us go."

"Oh I'll let you go alright, to heaven that is!"Electricity shot out of his hand heading strait down to him quickly that he didn't even have time to react.

Things happened in slow motion as Gareki's eyes widened at the electricity shooting down. He could bare it without any harm being done to his body but Yogi obviously wouldn't survive if it hit him. Gareki did the only thing that popped into his mind.

He shoved Yogi yelling "No!" Just as electricity shoved against his body throwing him backwards and off balance. He then fell off the edge of the cliff from the force.

Yogi had hit the ground when he was shoved aside but in his peripherals he saw Gareki fall causing him to scramble quickly to his hands and knees to the edge. He saw just in time Gareki hitting his forehead on a rock as he plummeted, soon after disappearing in the mist of the waterfall.

Yogi lost his breath and he froze, not believing what he had just seen.

A slow laugh gradually got louder. It belonged to Karoku. Yogi turned his rage onto the Death Keeper. Boiling heat pulsed through his hands. Karoku was oblivious to his rage as he continued to laugh.

Yogi clenched his hands tautly. He stood up and faced Karoku who was still flying on his army of shadows. He pushed his hair back as he laughed. After a few minutes he finally stopped and looked at Yogi. With a smug smirk of course.

"He blocked you, what a brave thing to do. But now it's your time to die." He lifted his hand to Yogi before shooting out a black beam.

"Be gone you demon." Yogi lifted his own hand. A long blaze of fire left his hand, heading for Karoku. He tried to move out of the way but strong vines were holding him in place, forcing him to get burned and destroyed as well as his shadow army. Loud screams of agony were heard.

Violet eyes looked up to see the black beam heading strait for him. He didn't dodge out of the way, he stayed put allowing it to strike him. The next thing he knew he was falling.


	6. Take It All Back

**Music Choice— Kiss It Better— Rihanna**

 **Been Waiting On That Sunshine Boy I Think I Need**

 **That Back. Can't Do It Like That**

 **No One Else Going To Get It Like That**

 **So I Argue You Yeah, But you Take Me Back**

* * *

It was dark, cold and undeniably frightening. Everything was a blur of air bubbles floating up to the surface of the thrashing water. Yogi moved his arms in a frenzied rush as well as his legs moving back and forth, trying to swim upwards. His head broke the surface of water, he gasped for air, pulling it into his burning lungs that had held oxygen underneath the crashing of waves.

The tenseness in his chest loosened as air inhaled from his throat, filling him up. Soaking wet hair in his eyes blinded his sight. A part of him wanted to see where he was but the idea of crashing waves and possible upcoming rocks made him want to stay blind. Staying oblivious to how he would really die.

The waves pushed him further up stream instead of dragging him under. He took advantage of that and continued to breathe in and out but suddenly water rushed into his throat forcing him to choke before being violently pulled right back under strong waves.

His back hit a hard surface. Jagged it was. It had been a rock. Strong currents shoved him every which way. He felt like a rag doll that didn't have any control over it's movements. _I should be dead but yet I'm still alive. . .how? I wanted to be with Gareki._

Another impact against a rock and he'd hit the back of his head. Pain shot out through his skull making him lose more air as he gargled out a yell. The last thing he saw before fainting was air bubbles escaping to the surface.

* * *

"Get up, Yogi."

The voice sounded distant and echoed through his ears.

A hand placed itself on the side of his face; the thumb rubbing behind his ear lobe. What a gentle hand it was. Was this Gareki? No, he was gone. More strait to the point— he was dead and plus his hands would be icy cold not warm.

Yogi wondered if he himself was dead right now? If so then this wasn't how he expected things to be when he finally deceased. He still felt the presence of the world around him and he could hear birds and feel a wind blowing. There was a sensation of gravel underneath his finger tips as well.

He felt as though he was still physically existent. Maybe this was how it felt in Heaven?

Not likely, he doubted that.

"Open your eyes, Yogi." The voice was gentle, feminine and spoke in a Rimahakkian tongue with a hint of authority. He knew that voice. He snapped his eyes open inhaling a short breath before liquid surfaced up his throat causing him to gag. He threw up water as he pushed himself on hands and knees. He coughed harshly after water was emptied from his system.

He panted for oxygen, closing his eyes for a few seconds to think. His entire body felt worn. His muscles were tight and aching from his fast swimming and thrashings. The water had been strong to fight against so it surprised him that he was still alive. That he hadn't drowned.

This would be the second time he'd skipped death. Maybe there was a reason he hadn't died those two times He'd thought the blast from Karoku would kill him thus reuniting him with Gareki who he thought was dead after seeing the harsh fall he had. Gareki might of been dead, but he liked to not believe so. He needed to have faith. . And plus, he still had a kingdom to save. But he felt like he couldn't do it without Gareki leading him there.

At that moment he remembered the voice in his ear.

"Mother?" He whispered. Opening his eyes, he scanned the area around him. He was at a shore line built up of charcoal coloured pebbles and stones. The river was behind him, seemingly calm now unlike it had been when he was inside of it. A tall wall of the cave was behind him as well, sharp edges caught his attention which he felt glad he didn't get penetrated by those. Yogi turned back around. He looked down at the ground.

Soaking hair dripped every second down to the rocks or on the back of his hand. The back of his head pounded. He lifted fingers to the place where he'd hit it against the rock. It was sore to the touch and felt like a small protrusion was forming. He dropped his hand and sighed.

 _It must've been all in my head. There's no way I heard her—_

"You woke up. Now you must continue. Don't be defeated my son."

Yogi snapped his head up. That voice echoed in his ears again. "Mother?" He stood up but fell back down from weak muscles in his legs. He pushed himself up with his hands. "Where are you?"

He still felt the warm hand on his face. "Closer then you think. Keep going forward, never relent." The hand slipped away as if it hadn't been there in the first place.

"Wait." He reached out in the direction the hand had slipped away from. He only felt thin air, nothing fleshy like her hand. _She was a ghost. Of course._

Yogi waited for a sign, a movement, a touch but she was gone. Heart sinking he felt like crying but he didn't. He kept it inside. She was near, that was all he could ask for and that was good enough. At least she was okay. He still felt surprised that she had actually contacted him. Maybe that dream he had of hearing both his parents voices was real and they'd been physically here with him, watching over. He dropped his head, letting it hang down just like his glowing amulet was doing now.

He blinked in realization as he noticed it. His chest fell back to the ground. Grabbing his amulet he propped himself on his elbows while looking at it in front of him. It saved his life, it protected him.

 _No wonder I'm still alive._ He thought.

Suddenly vivid scenes from before rushed into his mind. He froze as he remembered the heroic action Gareki had done for him. He saw it all over again as if on rewind. Gareki shoving him aside and taking Karoku's hit instead. He also remembered killing Karoku. The anger that kept him silent just from how intense that moment had been.

He felt it again right at that second as he continued to recall tragic events. His breathing became labored, finding it hard to breathe normally now. His fingers dug into the rocks as anger increased. The absence of Gareki made him quickly drag himself out of the water soon in search for the Avatar.

His body was hot even to the cool water's touch. His hands pushed into the water so he could drag himself forward. He was surprised when steam sizzled in his face.

 _Had I done that?_ He thought in bewilderment. He continued on, finally pulling his weak body out of the shallow water.

He exhaled a huff before forcing himself to his feet. He stumbled and ended up kneeling before lifting himself up again. He stumbled a few more times but soon was walking some what normally. His boots felt heavy as he stomped onward.

As well as his clothes that were doused with water. He felt like he was carrying his own weight. He reached over his head with both hands until he grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head until it was completely off. He stripped off his boots, deciding to keep his pants on but unwrapped his sword holster from his waist. He propped his sword against the wall and dropped it's holster to the ground. He draped his shirt on top of the stone wall.

He didn't mind the small pokes he got on the souls of his bare feet from the rocks as he searched for Gareki.

 _What if he's dead?_ Spoke he conscience out of turn. He searched the shallow water. His feet stepping into it.

Yogi glared down at his reflection. _If he's dead then I'm glad to have destroyed Karoku. What a demon he was._ He slapped his reflection, watching himself ripple before standing up and continued searching.

He looked in the over grown purple bushes that were near the rivers shore line. He needed to look every where. Everything counted if he were to find Gareki.

 _I love him too much to let it end here. And he's too strong to die here. I doubt he's dead. He's alive. . .he has to be._

Yogi flipped aside a big pointed rock that was in the water. He huffed again. Abs and toned chest moving upwards as he inhaled after wards. Gareki wasn't behind it like the last time they'd washed up from a waterfall.

This entire moment reminded him of past occurrences. The initial time they'd fallen from a waterfall had been their fight with a Nether Beast. A fallen tree Gareki had been dangling from and he reached out to help only to hear a snap and the next thing he knew they both were falling from a long height.

That had been the time Gareki hated his guts after being banished from the Ice Castle and the very beginning of the journey. He remembered specifically Gareki wanting to kill him at the time. Things were different now. Gareki trusted him. He could tell by the way he acted when they fought together. The way he would help and protect. That's how he ended up down here, all because he shoved him aside from Karoku's dark magic.

"I would've taken the hit instead." He whispered with regret lodged in his voice.

Anger was still flowing through his mind. He dragged a hand through his wet hair, pushing it back. He had searched nearly the whole area while recalling the memory. Every place except the water.

His hot feet stepped into it. Once again steam sizzled up. His new magic was going to need some getting used to but for now he needed to calm his nerve.

Closing his eyes he inhaled a slow breath before exhaling. He dropped his shoulders, feeling His muscles loosen.

The anger he felt lessoned until it was no longer making his body heated. He walked forward, eyes scanning under the water carefully.

The water rippled at each step he took further until he was no longer in the shallow end. The water was now above his knees soaking his pants even more.

He felt a fish swim right against his hand before jetting away from him as he turned his body to look at it. He watched it swim over to his right. He eyed it until he could no longer see it. He focused his attention back to the water.

He dropped his hand into it, deciding to search with his hands and not just his vision.

He didn't feel anything.

"Where are you, Gareki," He said quietly.

He lifted his hand out of the water and took a glance at it and all he could see was blood covering his skin all the way up to his forearm. He froze in shock.

"Oh shit." He whispered slowly. He looked down before inhaling a big breath and held it inside his lungs. He then dove down, submerging into the water.

The pressure of the water was against both his ears and nose, places where it could get in. He opened his eyes and at first saw darkness but then the light from the sun moved, allowing him to see a silhouette of something. It was shaped like a human but then a glimpse of a thin blue tail with tuft of black hair at the end gave the identity away.

Yogi swam towards Gareki's unconscious body— at least he hoped he was unconscious—once he approached him he saw blood, lots of it. Yogi immediately grabbed his jacket, pulling his body closer to his. He then positioned him until his jaw was wresting on his shoulder, Yogi wrapped an arm around him. Keeping one free so he could swim.

He swam back the way he came until he reached the shallow end. Yogi stood up, slinging one of Gareki's arms around his neck while his own arm wrapped around Gareki's torso.

Yogi walked forward as Gareki's legs dragged. His head hung low causing wet raven hair to dangle. He was heavy but Yogi knew that was only because of his drenched clothing.

His bare feet met gravel as he walked on shore. He crouched down, letting Gareki go as he carefully placed his body on the ground, laying him on his back.

Yogi moved to his knees so he could lean over Gareki to check his injuries. He skimmed over them quickly knowing this was a life or death situation which meant time was everything.

A bleeding cut on his forehead. It was small, he noted. He recalled Gareki hitting it on a rock once he'd fallen.

Next he had three claw marks on his right upper shoulder. He remembered Gareki yelling at him because he'd accidentally pulled on this arm. He didn't know it had been injured at the time.

Yogi felt his hands shake at how much blood was covering the right side of Gareki's jacket. It was even all over his own hands from when he'd grabbed him out of the water. He needed to act quickly.

He thought of something and promptly unzipped Gareki's dark grey jacket. He took it off revealing a dark red, short sleeved hoodie with two black laces hanging from the hood. He had thought it was a T shirt. He pulled that off of him too and threw it aside now leaving Gareki shirtless.

He only needed the grey jacket.

Yogi tore off one sleeve and tautly wrapped it around Gareki's claw wounds. That would stop the bleeding for now. He took out the foxen rune that was luckily still in Gareki's jacket pocket and set it aside before throwing the jacket aside and leaned towards Gareki's face.

He dabbed the blood away from his forehead with a small ripped piece of fabric. Having that done he checked for life signs.

Yogi opened one of Gareki's eyes with his index and thumb to see his iris and pupil. He moved his eyelids apart and saw a pale blue-grey iris staring back at him. It stayed still not moving in the slightest. His slit didn't dilate from the light either.

Yogi's expression was grim. He closed his eye before moving down to his chest. He pushed an ear to his heart and waited. A moment passed but a pulse wasn't heard.

Yogi moved his ear away and immediately pressed both his hands atop one another in the center of Gareki's chest.

"Not this again, please." He pushed down repeatedly. "You're not doing this to me."

He pushed down for 5 seconds before moving his hands away, replacing it with his ear. No pulse still. He lifted his head away before placing his hands back into place and pushed down again.

His own heart thudded faster in his chest with anxiety. _This couldn't be happening. He's not dead! I refuse to think that!_

"Gareki come on, wake up!" He cried.

Another push.

Yogi stopped and leaned down towards Gareki's lips. He parted them open and only hesitated for a short second before connecting their mouths together.

 _Forgive me for doing this but I need to save your life._

His lips were soft and sent a small surge of electricity through his own lips. He'd been wanting this moment to happen when they'd finally kiss but he didn't treat this as such. This was only meant to help him not to take advantage or enjoy. That was the last thing he would want to do to him. This was life or death and all that mattered right now was to get him breathing.

Yogi transfered some of his own air to Gareki before pulling away and began to add pressure once more to his chest. He did this for another 5 seconds before listening for his heart.

Still no pulse. He leaned towards his mouth again and added more air. He pulled away about to push down on his chest again but all of a sudden Gareki snapped his eyes open before sitting up, coughing water from his throat before regurgitating.

Yogi sat back, feeling relief wash over him. He smiled, pushing wet strands of blonde hair away from his forehead. Not minding that he had just smeared Gareki's blood on half his face and hair.

"Thank goodness." He sighed, feeling burning in the back of his eyes

Gareki breathed heavily as he stared down at his lap. He looked up at Yogi through wet hair. "You look like you want to cry." His voice came out quiet and slightly rough from throwing up water.

Yogi wiped one of his eyes with the inner part of his elbow that wasn't covered in blood as he chuckled lightly. "I'm glad you're alive, that's all."

"You thought I'd be dead after Karoku hitting me, didn't you?" Gareki cleared his throat.

Yogi averted his eyes up to his face, looking taken aback. "Of course I did, especially since you fell off the cliff and hit your head on a rock."

Gareki looked at his wrapped arm. "I didn't think I'd fall from the cliff when he shot me. All I was thinking was to save you because I'm immune to electricity. And I knew once he shot you with it you'd be dead."

He turned back around, facing Yogi.

Yogi looked even more surprised. "You saved my life?" He made it sound as if it were the strangest thing to do.

Gareki sighed at the way he'd said it. "Yogi, I'm not completely cold hearted. And yes, I did. I owe you so many times so why not take a blast of electricity for you?"

Yogi stared at him, mouth slightly open but was too speechless to say anything. He looked down at Gareki's chest, his eyes roaming over black tribal tattoos. "I'm glad that you did that for me." He looked back up.

"Don't mention it but for now I want to know where Karoku is? Once I see him again he'll pay. I swear he will." His pale eyes returned to their more vibrant tone having a glowing blue fire to them.

"Don't worry, I killed him right after he shot you down."

Gareki dropped his shoulders before turning his right hand in his lap to reveal his palm as it formed a long dart of ice. He unwound the sleeve of his jacket that was soaked in hishis own blood letting it fall to the ground. He then placed the dart to his skin and a burning sound broke through the silence.

Yogi didn't say anything else. Just watched him mold his scratched skin back into place, forming a new tribal tattoo.

"I'm glad you killed that demon. He was sick in the head. . .disgusting more like," He said darkly. Yogi could see a hint of his sharp fangs as he spoke.

Blonde eyebrows pushed together questionably. He couldn't help but notice the obvious distaste in his tone as if Karoku really had done something sickening. "What did he do to you?"

Gareki pulled the ice dart away from his healing skin before turning back to look at him. He glared as he recalled Karoku's unwanted touch. "He tried to violate me."

Every muscle in Yogi's body tensed as soon as he heard the word "Violate" pass his lips. His mouth gaped open ever so slightly as he kept a wide eyed stare onto Gareki's face. "He what?"

His voice came out deep epressing anger.

Gareki replaced the dart on his skin before continuing to mold his flesh back together. He moved his eyes away from Yogi's intense ones. "He touched my chest and licked my neck, luckily that was all he did."

Yogi closed his mouth and clenched his jaw tightly. His skin grew hot again. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. . . did you just let it happen?!" He accused. The last words came out from his anger, not what he really wanted to say.

Yogi almost flinched at the intense glare Gareki's flaring eyes gave him as soon as the words came out.

"Why would I want something like that to happen?! You're wrong to have assumed that! I expected you to act differently when I told you, not that you would accuse me of something I didn't want!"

Yogi opened his mouth to say something else accusing but he stopped himself, knowing that this wasn't like him to speak this way to Gareki. He noticed the offended, sad and slightly fearful look in his eyes as if he'd been through something that he reflected on at that very moment.

His angered expression softened as he stared at the Avatar in front of him. He'd never seen such a look on Gareki's face. He saw something hidden behind those blue-grey eyes of his making him feel even more guilty and surprised.

He cooled his body temper down before pulling Gareki into hug.

His cool bare chest soothed the warmth even more. The skin on skin contact made Gareki tense up. Yogi wrested his chin on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry." He whispered, closing his eyes.

"I'm stupid for saying that, I didn't know it was that bad for you. I was angry. This new element is bringing out a different character in me."

Gareki didn't hug him back but by the tone of his gentle voice his muscles loosened. It felt strange to him. This contact wasn't done in the Ice Castle, but he knew what it was and it felt comforting. "How do you know that." He asked quietly. He felt drops of water fall on his healed shoulder from Yogi's wet hair.

Yogi paused for a few seconds before saying, "About my new element?"

"No. How did you know it was bad for me?" It was kind of a dumb question now that he thought about it but he had already spoken it aloud so there was no taking it back.

Yogi kept his arms wrapped around him, not wanting to pull away just yet. He had to admit he was being pretty strait forward and brave right now for some one who kept his true feelings a secret.

"The way your eyes looked at me. They were a combination of dismal, fearful, reflective, and indignant. You're not the only one who can read people like a book, Gareki."

"Did I say that?"

"You did." He pulled away and looked him in his eyes that were no longer glowing from anger. "I know something happened to you just from the way you looked at me. Something that you don't want to think about. It must have happened in your past."

Gareki's face transitioned from blank to surprised. He dragged himself backwards, away from Yogi. "What the hell?!"

Yogi lifted a hand towards him to grab. "Gareki you don't need to be surprised. It was obvious for me to figure out."

Gareki shook his head at Yogi's hand. "No, no, no. You don't know anything! Drop the subject!"

Yogi still had his hand outstretched. "I'm not going to drop the subject. Just calm down and listen to me." His voice was precise.

Gareki slapped his hand away before slamming his own palm to the ground. An ice wall erupted from the rocks, growing tall, sharp and jagged with ice darts separating them both. Yogi was almost penetrated by a sharp dart of ice sticking out of the wall but luckily he backed up in time. "You've said enough. Step out of my head because I don't need anyone knowing my secrets."

Yogi sighed quietly as he dropped his hand. "Gareki I know It's a sensitive topic and I know you don't want to think or talk about it, like I said. But I also know what happened to you and when you're ready to talk about it with me, then I'll be here. You can't keep something so horrific balled up inside of you."

Gareki glared. "Yogi, I don't want to talk about anything with you. Me being almost raped is all you'll ever know. So drop it already, **please**." His voice came out as a warning which told Yogi to back off or else something bad would happen that he didn't want to do.

He nodded before giving Gareki space to himself and hopefully he would reconsider not telling him. He knew what the problem was with him.

He was afraid to admit his past from a horrific event that almost happened to him. Gareki wasn't expecting him to suddenly figure it out just by the way his eyes looked.

And Yogi could understand that. He too would be caught off guard if the situation was vise versa. He just hoped this wouldn't come between their relationship.

He stood up, turning his back to Gareki before turning his head slightly to look at him through the ice wall. His eyes didn't meet his. He was looking down at his lap as if he were thinking hard about something.

He turned away before going over to their clothes to dry them with his new element of magic. He hoped he wouldn't burn them.


	7. The Code

**Music Choice—Up In Flames— Ruelle**

* * *

Water dripped from Yogi's chin as he cupped another hand full of water onto his face, washing away the blood from both his hair and forehead. He closed his eyes as the liquid ran down his eyelids. He washed away the blood that was on his arms, watching as thick red droplets drizzled down his beige skin.

Eyes traced over faded red trails along the length of his forearm. He scooped up more water from the river before throwing it onto his arm once more.

Beams of sunlight welcomed itself in as it's light dropped right on top of him, making his skin tingle with gooseflesh.

Once this day was over this would count 11 days being in the Arcial Realm and 6 days passing back in the Sun Kingdom. Where did the time go?

That's right, it was never here in the first place. Everything was a time consumption of fighting enemies, getting knocked off course of the map of where they were actually supposed to go and with having to deal with one another's problems.

His eyes stared at his no longer blooded arm but they were not focused. His mind was caught up somewhere else. On Gareki. The thought of the Avatar's angered and distraught expression masking his face after he'd mentioned something that he knew was supposed to stay secret.

It was obvious Gareki hadn't wanted anyone to speak of something that hidden. His reaction gave him a clear idea of that.

Apparently it was somewhat his fault for stirring up that terrible memory back inside Gareki's mind. _If I hadn't of said anything to him about the topic then none of this would be happening. He wouldn't be distancing himself from me. . ._

His thoughts trailed off as he turned his head slightly to look at Gareki's strong, bare back through the wall of ice he had made to separate them. Tense muscles from both the back of his shoulders protruding in his skin as his arms held up defensive with his fists clenched taut. This only made the muscles in his upper arms pop out more through the black tattoos marring the skin from his chest, shoulders all the way down to his elbows.

Both his shoes and shirt weren't on him. He'd discarded them as he focused on more important matters such as training. He'd made 2 combat dummies out of ice and they moved with just as much flexibility, strategy and accuracy as he did. It was as if he were fighting himself.

But something in the way he moved told Yogi he was using the time to train only to unleash his anger and frustration.

Evidence of this was when Gareki fought the dummies ruthlessly. He was quick, throwing attacks with both his legs and fist instead of magic. He threw a fist catching the ice dummy off guard causing it to fail at moving out of the way in time. He embedded it through the ice dummy's head until it went all the way through, coming out from the other side. He yanked his fist out before doing a half spin high kick, completely shattering the ice into small shards with the back of his calf.

The ice didn't hurt him surprisingly even if his feet were bare

Ice fell to the ground, some of it bouncing off his chest, making tiny scrapes to cut into his skin but they healed soon after they had formed. He dropped his leg back to the ground just as the other dummy came up from behind and grabbed under his arms, holding him in place.

Gareki reached back with both hands and grabbed one of the over grown ice darts that was attached to the dummy before yanking it's body over his head, swinging it to the ground causing even more ice to shatter as it's body collided with the ground.

He dusted himself off, not even out of breath. He then made another set of dummies before lunging forward ready to fight all over again.

Yogi turned back to the water, looking at his reflection as the sun rays dropped down all around the cave reflecting in the water as well.

They had both decided to stay at the shore of the river to rest for a moment. That had been quite some minutes ago and the last words Gareki had spoken to him before distancing himself.

Yogi didn't blame him for doing so. Like he'd said before. He too would seclude himself if he were caught off guard by someone randomly blurting out a secret he didn't want anyone to know or mention aloud. That was just the way Gareki felt right now.

The guilt was sort of overwhelming to bare, but he deserved to feel this way after what he'd done.

"I should have seen this coming." He muttered to himself. The smashing of ice in the background was too loud for Gareki to hear what he was saying.

"If I really could read him like a book then I should have seen this coming." _Who am I kidding, I don't even know his past so how could I possibly read him like a book?_

Yogi sat there for passing seconds with his chin wresting in the palm of his hand. _His past. ._ .

He didn't recall much of Gareki discussing his past life with him ever since they'd begun this whole trek. He mentioned slivers of it such as his father dying and the fact that he used to be a happy child before the disaster of that tragedy happening. That was it, that was all he could recall. Yogi suddenly found this troubling.

This whole time he thought he knew the 118 year old Avatar who risked everything in order to get him back to his own realm but now that he tried to reflect on Gareki's past he realized he knew nothing about it or the in dept details. He only knew facts but none of those were of his childhood. He needed to get information about him and hopefully his grudge wouldn't last forever.

He would be a lot easier to talk to if he wasn't mad.

He trailed a finger over his bottom lip, soon being broken out of his thoughts by a loud crash. He whipped his head around only to see that Gareki was lying on the ground on his side.

One of the ice dummies had been demolished into pieces while the other stood a few feet away with it's arms out as if it had thrown something or it had thrown Gareki which it did.

Gareki groaned lightly as he pushed himself up to hands and knees, bits of ice shards falling from his side. Yogi sat there about to get to his own feet to help but suddenly Gareki shoved himself to his legs before running strait towards the dummy. An angry growl leaving his throat. His arms spread out as his body slammed into the dummy's chest. His arms wrapped around it's torso as he forced the rest of his weight against his opponent.

Both collided with the ground. But the ice dummy had hit it first before Gareki's weight forced itself further onto it causing it to smash.

Gareki pushed himself up onto his hands as he breathed heavily. His eyes glowered at the broken pieces that were so shattered that it was no longer easy to decipher which part was which.

Yogi continued to stare at him, feeling slightly shocked by his aggressiveness. He was still angry. No doubt about it.

Gareki got up and turned his glower to him instead, catching him off guard. Yogi froze by his intense stare.

"Um. . ." He tried to think of what to say. He felt kind of uncomfortable by the anger in his eyes causing his mind to not function as quickly as he wanted it to.

Gareki averted them away before sauntering over to his hanging dry clothes atop the stone wall. He grabbed his dark red hoodie and boots before walking in the opposite direction, away from Yogi.

Yogi opened his mouth to stop him but before he could, Gareki interjected:"Stay here, I'll be back in a few minutes then we'll leave." His voice came out flat monotoned.

"Where are you going?"

Gareki pointed down a pathway of the maze that he couldn't quite see from his position on the ground. "I scouted this area earlier and I'm only heading up the river."

He turned away about to step forward but Yogi stopped him again."Alone?" Gareki didn't turn to look at him, just kept his back facing the direction he was in. "Yeah, I'll be fine so _**don't**_ come after me." He emphasised don't which warned Yogi to stay put.

Having that said, Gareki disappeared as soon as he walked around the wall. Yogi stayed seated, watching the spot Gareki had been standing in before getting to his feet walking over to where the wall was.

He gripped the corner of the wall before peeking around it, watching as Gareki's back became farther and farther away until he turned left into an opening path which he assumed was where the other part of the river was.

He sighed. "How long is he going to be mad at me?"

 _Don't question it. He deserves to be angry with you_. His own thoughts had a good point.

He couldn't help but feel as though Gareki were making a bad decision going alone. But then he figured he probably wanted to be alone to have space away from him. Maybe he couldn't stand to look at him.

His hand slid away from the wall as he replaced it with his back before sliding down until he was sitting. He moved wet strands of his hair to the side of his forehead he then pulled his legs up before resting both elbows on each of them, settling the back of his skull against the wall.

The aching of the bump he had in that area dulled down so it wasn't all that painful to add pressure to it.

He looked up at the large holes in the dome shaped sealing of the cave. Thick blinding beams of sunlight came down only reminding him of his kingdom.

He looked away as the sudden feeling of home sickness came flooding in. He missed it tremendously. The smell of the garden in the courtyard circulating through out the castle as the keepers tended to them. The festivals the village would have in celebration of traditions. The colorful lights and costumes everyone would put together for the annual anniversary of his parents becoming king and queen. The dance hall, throne room and even his own bedroom.

But the most thing he missed right now was his family. He wished he were home again. Suddenly the image of Vileus appeared in his mind and he glared at the ground.

"I'll definitely save my home," he said in a confident whisper.

His eyes moved over to the rune a few inches away from where he was sitting. Reaching out he grabbed it. It filled his hand perfectly and had a slight weight to it.

The orange symbol stared back at him, glowing bright in his face. If this were a puzzle Ivy wanted then how were he and Gareki supposed to decipher it?

He traced a thumb along the orange symbol, wondering what it meant? He turned it slightly so he was looking at the bottom.

He frowned as he eyed the odd small symbols that were glowing orange as well. How had he missed this? The symbols were finger nail sized so it wasn't too small to try and read over. But there was one problem.

He didn't know this language. Well, he was assuming it was a language. It looked like it.

"Maybe Gareki can figure this out." He got to his feet but just as he did he second thought his actions. "He told me to stay put."

He paused there for a minute but then shook his head. "I should check on him, rather he wants to be alone or not."

He walked over to his clothes and pulled his shirt over his head before tying up his boots. He strapped on his sword holster before putting his sword into it he then checked Gareki's grey jacket and picked out the dry map.

The ink was smeared making it hard to determine where they needed to go. "This isn't good." He muttered, dragging his index finger lightly over the black ink causing some of it to stick to his finger.

Just as the words passed his lips the ink on the map suddenly morphed into a trail and the note that was on the back transformed back into letters.

His eyes widened in surprise as the map looked brand new again. _Of course. The map is magic so it could fix itself._ He folded it before putting it in his back pocket.

Grabbing the rune he left the river bank, following the path Gareki had gone.

He stayed mindful of the traps in the area as he listened to the sound of birds flapping while most of them chirped because of the morning. Looking up, he saw a bird fly into the cave before swooping down until it disappeared behind tall trees.

How he wished at that moment he had wings. Things would be a lot easier. He continued forward, everything being surprisingly peaceful. He stepped on something hard which didn't feel like the ground. The ground was soft with moss but what ever it was underneath his foot felt solid.

Looking down he noticed too late he had stepped on a false square of grass. The weight of his foot pushed it in with a _click-snap_ and suddenly sharp spears shot out of the walls from both his left and right.

He dropped down low— flat on his stomach, not having anytime to form a shield. The spears stuck into the walls as they kept darting out. It took a few seconds for them to stop but finally they had. Yogi pushed himself up back onto his feet. He squeezed past spears that were lodged into the wall before completely passing them.

He came to the path Gareki had gone and he heard the crashing of a waterfall. He didn't think it was the one he had fallen from though.

He turned and walked to the left, entering another river bank that was covered in gravel as well. He brought the rune up so he could look at the writing on it's bottom.

"Hey Gareki, do you think you could—" he looked up and froze as he saw the bare side of Gareki's back facing him. He subconsciously looked lower. From the curve of his back was his tail right at is tail bone above the fine shape of his arse.

His back muscles flexed as his arms moved up so his hands could move through his wet hair. Trails of water slid down the curve of his back just as it did with his arms. He pushed his hair back causing more water to drizzle down his strong backside.

Yogi's eyes widened as his lips parted. He couldn't stop starring. Even if he tried to look away his eyes always found their way back to his arse.

"Oh. My. God." He breathed quietly. Mind was screaming at him to hide, but he didn't—he couldn't. Not this time. He was frozen to the spot. Suddenly the rune unnoticably dropped free from his hand and clanked loudly to the ground.

Immediately Gareki dropped his arms away from his hair before twisting his head around, his eyes landing on Yogi right away and his face looked just as surprised as Yogi had when he first saw him bathing.

His mouth hung slightly open in surprise. Blue eyes scanning him.

His heart lurched in his chest as Gareki stared at him. _Shit._ Spoke his still stared at him in shock but as soon as the shocked expression had come anger crossed over his face.

His eyes glowed an unnatural blue as he glared at him, fist clenching tightly at his sides before quickly turning away and ran, disappearing behind a stone wall that was near the river's shore where his clothing was hanging on top of the stone wall.

Yogi suddenly let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He should of hid when he could. He felt like an idiot for not doing so. Now what was Gareki going to do to him? Telling by his reaction it wasn't going to be a simple shrug off the shoulders.

He picked up the rune and waited as he heard the sound of quick shuffling movement behind the wall. Gareki must've been rushing to put his clothing on.

Yogi suddenly grew nervous. Worried thoughts of what Gareki would do lto him odged into his mind.

Once Gareki rounded the corner he was wearing the dark red hoodie but the sleeves were ripped revealing the curves and swirls of his tribal tattoos on each arm. Black jeans hugged his legs, his dark red leather Dr. Marten boots and lastly he was pulling on black fingerless gloves he hadn't noticed before.

He hadn't been wearing those. He must've gotten those from Jiki too. Probably was just now wearing them.

Yogi exhaled as Gareki brought his eyes up to him. They were still glowing that angry bright blue.

He walked up to him fast, not slowing down his pace at all. Yogi took a few steps back to create distance between them as he held his free hand up defensively. "Gareki listen I didn't mean—"

He was cut off by a fist to the cheek. His entire body swung to the side by the force. His back met up with the ground with a loud thud. He felt gravel jab at his spine causing a small pain.

Even with the force of the punch he still held onto the rune.

He moved on his side as he spat blood to the ground, his jaw and cheek aching. He looked up at Gareki. He didn't think he'd punch him.

But his face told him all he needed to know. His was so angry. Gareki advanced over him before fisting his shirt in a tight grip with both hands before hoisting him up to eye level, shoving him up against a wall.

Yogi gripped one of his wrists with a hand. "Gareki sto—"

"I told you to stay put!" He snapped. "And yet you're here!" His eyes blazed with fury.

"Gareki listen to me." Yogi breathed. "I didn't mean to see you like that. I was just—"

"I don't want to hear excuses!" He interrupted, he pulled away one of his hands until it was pulled up into another fist aiming right at his face. "You're lying!"

"I'm not lying! I was only here to show you the rune!"

Gareki pursed his lips with a glare in his eyes. He then threw Yogi aside, watching as he fell to the ground once again on his back.

"You shouldn't have been here. I want to hit you so fucking bad right now just to show you how pissed I am."

Yogi grunted as he propped himself up with his hands. He lifted one of them wiping away the blood on his lips. "I deserved that so. . . I'm obliged to let you do it again."

Gareki didn't waist time and once again Yogi's back ended up on the ground and pain was shooting up his face once more. It hurt to move his tongue as more aching pain surged up the side of his jaw.

He spat more blood before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He looked up at Gareki in the corner of his eye and for a split second he saw that same cold hearted ice prince he had seen on the very first night he had came into the Arcial Realm. That sight went away as he thought otherwise.

Gareki had changed, he was just mad right now, he wasn't that person anymore.

Gareki reached his hand out and at first Yogi thought it was to help him up but before he could reach out and grab it Gareki interrupted his actions.

"Give me the rune." He ordered.

Yogi paused in realization before slowly dropping his hand and handing him the stone.

Gareki snatched it before bringing it up to eye level. He looked at the symbol not seeing anything different about the rune like Yogi had told. He squinted at the blonde."There's nothing wrong with it." He crossed his arms. "Did you actually come here to see me naked?"

"No!" He said a bit too quickly,"Don't accuse me of doing something like that." He sounded offended.

Gareki tsked. "Now you see how I felt when you accused me."

Yogi sighed. "Gareki don't be that way, you know I apologized."

"Whatever, I just wanna know why you were here at the worst possible timing."

Yogi gave the side of his face where Gareki had punched a soft rub to loosen the pain before exsplaining. "Look at the bottom of the rune, I wanted to ask if you could decipher it. That was the true reason why I was here. I honestly didn't expect to see you bathing, but if it helps. . .I didn't see anything."

He only lied a little bit which he knew it was wrong to do, especially to Gareki who had already almost been violated. But he'd rather not tell him. That would only make things worse between them.

Gareki uncrossed his arms and turned the rune towards it's bottom. He then saw the writing. A crease between his eyebrows formed as they pushed together.

"What the hell is this?"

"I don't know, that's why I asked you."

Gareki gave him an irritated look from the corners of his eyes. "It was a rhetorical question meaning I didn't want you to reply." His eyes moved back to the foreign writing.

The writing was in all sorts of shapes mixed with symbols. A square with a dot in the center. Triangle with a smaller triangle inside of it. A zigzag that looked like a single lined lightning bolt. An S with 2 dots. There were more odd shapes but he focused on the first four.

"I know the language this is in but I can't read it."

"What language is it?"

"It's in Neptus, a language that's spoken by the mermaid people of the under water kingdom of Metropolis."

Yogi picked himself up from the ground. "You know where it is? The kingdom I mean."

"Obviously some where under water, but no. I don't know which body of water."

Yogi carressed his cheek again as he spoke. "I'm thinking whatever those symbols mean it has to be giving us some kind of clue."

Gareki turned to him, cocking his head slightly. "A clue for what?"

Yogi lifted one of his shoulders in a half shrug. "I don't know, but it has to be there for a reason."

Gareki looked away from him, replacing his sights onto the rune instead. "Whatever it is, we'll have to figure it out later but for now we need to move."

He tossed the rune up into the air before saying "let's go".

He began walking. Yogi reached out and caught the rune just in time before it hit the ground, he then followed after Gareki.


	8. Possession P1

**Music Choice— Red—Already Over**

 **You Never Go, You're Always Here**

 **Under My Skin, I Cannot Run Away**

 **Fading Slowly, I Give It All To You,** **Letting** **Go Of Me**

 **Reaching As I Fall, I know It's Already Over Now**

* * *

Violet eyes scanned over the writing on the rune, tracing a slow thumb over the engraved, glowing Neptus language. His lips pressed together as the silence dragged on between Gareki and himself.

 _This is sort of awkward._ He thought. He trailed his fingers over the smooth surface of the rune that was held in both of his hands in hopes to distract himself. But really he'd been staring at it for an hour now between that in keeping a look out for traps plus, fake patches of grass.

He didn't dare look at Gareki though. The ice prince was still agitated about what happened earlier between them in which he still felt the complete blame for not to mention, over whelming embarrassment.

As if on que, thoughts about the electrical soft feel of Gareki's lips on his own crossed his mind as well as the rounded firm appearance of his arse. His entire face heated up.

Yogi ran a hand through his now dried hair in a means to rid the thoughts from his mind. If he had a mirror right now he would see that his entire face was red with humiliation.

He wouldn't blame Gareki if he were to be angry and distant with him for the next few days especially after that incident. But honestly, deep down he hoped his anger wouldn't be too intense.

Yogi didn't know why but he felt as though there was a small amount of anger he could take that would be directed his way.

Just the thought of someone snapping at him made his instincts want to snap right back despite whatever argument or whoever the victim was.

It must've been his new element of magic. He had been on the more easily tempered side lately. Fire from what he had studied back in his kingdom was known to be a very emotional and sensitive element to possess. He just didn't want to end up yelling at Gareki who was the victim who had every right to be angry with him.

He dropped his hand away from his hair before bringing it down to his cheek realizing that his jaw still hurt from Gareki's fist. It had dulled down into a soft aching but with a touch it only hurt more.

He grimaced before dropping his hand completely. He made a note to wait a while before touching it again.

He then finally took the risk to look up at Gareki. He watched his broad shoulders, the ripped sleeves that revealed his slight muscular build on his upper arms before slipping his eyes up his neck until they reached the side of his face.

His expression was pulled into something that could only be depicted as serious. The skin in between both of his dark eyebrows were compressed. His jaw muscles were flexed within his cheek. He must've been clenching his teeth together. His lips were pressed into a thin line and lastly his eyes stared strait and hard, barely blinking at the map in his hand.

Yogi kept his curious eyes on him. Wondering what was on his mind that very moment? But honestly he felt like it had to be about earlier at the river bank.

Gareki suddenly flicked his iris's to the corners of both his eyes, the black slits widening slightly from the change of light source. He was now staring right at Yogi who averted his own to quickly look away.

He waited a few seconds until he was sure Gareki was no longer looking at him before moving his eyes back to his face.

But Gareki was still eyeing him causing Yogi to feel even more awkward. He managed to come up with something to say after a moment of tension.

"Um, so I've come to realize that I don't know anything about your past. Do you mind me asking what you were like as a kid?"

Gareki glowered at him before rolling his eyes away from him as he muttered something incoherent underneath his breath along the lines of, "You and your stupid questions."

Yogi sighed lightly, affected by his harsh words by just a little. _It's fine, I deserve his cold attitude._ He consoled himself before continuing.

"Can you tell me something about it?" He repeated.

Gareki stopped walking, dropping the hand with the map down to his side before reaching the other towards Yogi. "Hand me the rune." He demanded.

Yogi did as told without question, dropping it into his open palm. Gareki moved his hand away before making the rune disappear within a puff of dark blue smoke.

Yogi watched as it cleared up, staring in bewilderment and confusion. "What did you. . .?"

"Don't freak out, it's just in a time warp, he said plainly with small annoyance. He turned and continued walking.

Yogi followed. "A time warp?"

Gareki didn't look at him as he spoke. "It's an empty space in time filled with items that anyone with magic use as an inventory. It can only be summoned by their specific magic so that not just anyone can take what that person put in."

Yogi silently nodded in understanding. "Why'd you put it there?"

"We have to collect 3 runes. Do you honestly think you or me would want to carry 4 magical stone's around until we get to Ivy's location, especially when we don't have a sack to carry them in?"

Yogi didn't answer but his silence gave Gareki a reply. "I didn't think so."

Yogi bit half of his bottom lip before looking away from him. Yeah it was going to be a while before Gareki ever forgave him.

They walked for 12 minutes before Gareki spoke up. "Oh, and about your question about my child hood I'll tell you when I'm good and ready, got it?" He growled.

"Yeah, I got it." Yogi crossed his arms along his chest. The irratation in the Avatar's voice didn't go unnoticed. "I get that you're still angry at me for earlier but just know that I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had been through something like that when I accused you and. . . I'm also sorry again for seeing you naked, I was just. . ."

Gareki abruptly stopped again and turned towards him, eyes noticeably still angered. "Can you do something for me?"

Yogi stood there speechless for a second before words found there way to his lips. He moved them apart to answer but Gareki interrupted him by pressing both his thumb and index fingers together, dragging them over his own lips as he said,"Can you shut up for me? I'm not in the mood to hear you talk."

He turned and walked away, leaving a baffled and slightly tempered Yogi behind. He knew he had told himself he could handle Gareki's harsh words but to just turn down his genuine apology like that made his body grow warm with anger.

He inhaled slowly as his fingers twiddled down at his sides. A heat wavering off of his hands as they outlined orange. "Control yourself." He whispered. He found it difficult to distinguish his temper but after a seconds that felt like minutes he controlled himself before following after Gareki who had gained a distance from him during his self management.

His mouth worked on it's own as he asked,"It doesn't have to be this way. Can you just forget what happened?"

Gareki looked as if he had ignored the question by training his eyes on the map.

Yogi fully caught up with him before grabbing his shoulder from behind and that was when Gareki reacted. He immediately turned, dropped down before swiping his feet beneath himhim with a leg.

Yogi's back collided with the ground with a grunt from his throat. He looked up, taken by surprise at Gareki's actions.

He stood over him tall with a scowl pulling on his features. "Don't you dare touch me and expect me to forget that easily. What happened I can't possibly expect myself to forgive you for, no matter what your excuse was.

Gareki stepped away from him, his eyes still focusing on his. "Get up. We don't have the luxury to waste anymore time."

Yogi gave him a hard look as he moved back up to his feet, dusting himself off. "So that's it then? You won't except my apology?"

"I just told you why I couldn't." Gareki's voice was flat. "Now like I said, he stepped closer so their noses were an inch apart. Yogi looked him strait in the eyes, both glaring. _**" Don't.** _ Talk. To. Me. Are we clear?"

Yogi suddenly felt uncontrolled heat flooding through out his body at the threat evident in his voice He tried to stop it before it escalated higher but it kept growing.

"No, we're not clear." His voice spoke on it's own. Listening more to the growing anger instead of his brain. It felt as though he were being controlled to act on anger, as if he were a different person being possessed.

Yogi reflected on the violation Gareki had been through with Karoku and how guilty he felt for the blurted accusation. He had no right to be mad at him after something like that happened. He knew he should've been more sincere and sympathetic to Gareki right now.

He loved Gareki but anger took away those feelings temporarily. All there was now was a fight in him he couldn't push away.

"Oh really?" Gareki said deeply. His shoulders tensed up as if he knew Yogi were about to lung forward. He was right to think so.

Yogi's fists clenched with flames and before he could stop himself he grabbed Gareki's upper arm causing him to growl painfully by the fire on his cold skin.

Yogi clenched his jaw as more anger coursed through his veins.

Gareki dropped the map before pulling his now free hand into a fist and landed a punch on him, sending him a few steps back before lurching for him, hands first.

Gareki gripped the fabric of his shirt before shoving him to a wall. "I should kill you!" He snarled between clenched teeth. Eyes blazing brightly as his fangs bared from his clenched jaws. "What were you thinking?!" The burned skin faded back into it's pale tone on his arm.

Yogi didn't repli he only fisted Gareki's hair, bringing his head forward only to collide with his own in a head butt. Gareki stumbled back but was soon smacked by Yogi's fist on his temple.

The angered expression on Gareki's face vanished as his eyes rolled back in his head, body falling backwards as he collapsed to the ground. Yogi pulled away from the wall and wiped his mouth before stepping closer to Gareki's unconscious body.

He stared down at the red bruise forming on his temple. His sprawled out form as he faintly breathed.

His fist ached from the hard impact he had made.

Suddenly the anger flooded away from him as he stared at what he had done. The feeling of guilt and shock overwhelmed him. His creased eyebrows softened as well as the angered expression, his shoulders sank down as his eyes widened. "Oh God, what did I just do?" He sank to his knees, crawling over to Gareki.

He reached for his face. His warm fingers touched his cold chin before sliding up, tilting his head the other way to reveal the small bruise on his temple. He examined it.

It wasn't bad, it would heal in a matter of hours with the ability of Gareki's fast healing rate but either way, he still felt shame and at fault for doing something like this.

 _What the hell came over me? Things are happening that I don't even understand. I **need** answers._ He thought desperately. _Or else I might do this again._

Suddenly Gareki grimaced, turning his head over an inch back into it's initial position. Yogi kept his fingers placed near the corner of his lips, not feeling the need to move them.

Gareki's eyes snapped open and landed right on him. A few seconds passed as they stared each other in the eyes. Gareki's eyebrows creased together tightly as a scowl crossed over his face. He let out a deep and loud snarl as he lurched forward, clocking Yogi across the face with a fist.

Yogi didn't make a move to defend himself even as he anticipated the blow. He felt the knuckles impact his cheek that had been closer to his nose then he had expected them to be. He went sprawling onto his back with a thud.

He moaned in pain as he grabbed his nose with both hands. It ached immensely but luckily it wasn't broken. It was then Gareki lunged on top of him. One hand pushing down on his chest while the other pulled up into a fist next to the side of his face pin pointing it's target located on Yogi's face again.

His fist formed ice around itself before he brought it down but just as he was inches away of connecting his fist to Yogi, his knee pressed down on a false square of grass.

Yogi heard the familiar _click-snap._ His eyes widened and he caught the sight of Gareki's fist coming strait for him. Time slowed as he lifted his hands away from his nose and grabbed both of Gareki's wrists before pushing himself and the other boy in a half circle so that now he was on top of Gareki.

Gareki watched as arrows shot out of the walls on either side. Yogi was in their line of aim but he ducked down before one could penetrate him. He was only grazed on the shoulder by the sharp tip of an arrow causing thick blood droplets to fall onto Gareki's cheek.

Yogi then rolled them both out from underneath the shooting arrows. Letting go of Gareki as he layed himself on his back.

Closing his eyes he bit hard on his lip as pain shot out from his shoulder. Blood was leaking out from a slightly thick cut. He stifled a pained noise as he lifted himself up to his feet. He looked toward Gareki who pushed himself up to his feet as well. His bright eyes moved up to his before glaring.

"You could have gotten us kil—!" He froze. His eyes widened as they trailed down to his shoulder. His mouth opened slightly revealing the sharp edges of his fangs that gingerly grew longer.

He staggered backwards, bringing a hand to the wall to steady himself.

Yogi frowned in confusion as to why he cut off talking. He followed his line of sight as it led him right to the leaking blood covering and dripping in long thin and thick lines down his arm. He slowly looked back up to Gareki who looked like he were struggling to say something. His nails dug into the stone wall as his eyes lingered on his fresh wound.

Yogi inhaled a slow breath as anxiety awoke inside of him. _This isn't good_. "Gareki?" He spoke warily ,"how long has it been since you've drunken. . . _ **blood**_?" The last word was the hardest to get past his lips. As if he'd said it then Gareki would come running for him. But luckily he didn't.

He stayed against the wall breathing in slow pants still with his eyes trained on his wound.

When he didn't answer, Yogi took a step closer to him but was cut short immediately by Gareki yelling,"Stay away! Don't come near me!"

"Drink my blood then you'll be fine—"

"I _**won't** _ be fine!" He snapped, shoulders moving up as he breathed in. "I'm having another attack just like in the wisp forest. If I drink it then I don't know if I'll be able to stop myself! I'll be controlled again, you know that."

Yogi stared at him in surprise. He had thought the whole attack of blood thirst was over and that it had only happened that one time. But now that he thought about it it had been a few hours since Gareki had last drank, maybe that was what triggered his sudden thirst attack.

"How come you didn't just drink my blood earlier?!" He accused.

"I didn't think to do so!" Gareki defended.

"You didn't think to feed yourself?!" Yogi yelled in frustration.

"Don't fucking yell at me, Yogi, you're making the urge worse!" Gareki gripped the side of his torso as if he were wounded in that area.

"That's all it's going to be if you don't drink soon! Now, come here." He urged, trying to help him before he did turn into a blood thirsty maniac.

Gareki stared at him, eyes trailing up before training themselves onto his violet ones. Yogi furrowed his brows slightly by the strange look in his eyes. He could make out the black slits; he watched as they widened a portion of his eyes but not entirely taking away the bright blue.

Gareki gave him a dark look that looked so different and new from his actual facial expressions. This one belonged to a hungry stranger. The boy in front of him shook his head slowly. "It's too late." He ripped his fingers out of the wall.

Before Yogi knew what was happening he was shoved to the ground by strong hands


	9. Possession P2

Gareki lunged on top of him. Pining down his body. Yogi struggled against him. An unfamiliar and needy look in his blue eyes. His thirst had already taken over his mind.

Gareki placed a hand on his chest, gripping Yogi's shirt within his grasp as he leaned down to the long trails of blood that had been sliding down the skin of his arm.

His tongue stuck out and he slowly went up the length of the blonde's arm. His eyes open as they watched Yogi's expression turn into resistance.

A deeper part of Yogi's conscience told him Gareki looked sexy doing that but he ripped the thought from his mind as he focused on the Avatar's further actions.

 _What's he going to do nex—_

Thoughts ceased as he scrutinized Gareki pulling away from his limb and instead went up to his bleeding shoulder wound. Thoughts split in his mind, both opposing with one another of what he should and shouldn't do.

 _Don't let him drink. Let him drink. He might turn back to his regular self._ His eyes stayed on Gareki, trying to think of the best scenario.

He leaned down, razor sharp fangs revealing themselves as his mouth opened wide. At the last second Yogi sided with preventing him to drink but Gareki was already making the plunge.

"Wait Gareki— Ugh!"

Fangs injected his shoulder, into his blood stream. He felt the sharp tips push through his flesh as Gareki's tongue moved into place against his skin, lapping and sucking away the blood.

Yogi's eyes widened as both pain and pleasure shot out through his entire body. He visibly shivered from the thrill as his eyes shut tightly. His cheeks heated as another sensation of pleasure went through him. Like poison or a drug.

His mind and body weakened, captivated by Gareki's mouth. After a few seconds, Gareki yanked out his fangs before bringing the hand on his chest down to the hem of Yogi's brown shirt, shoving it up in one quick push. He showed off the blondes abs and pecks.

Yogi opened his eyes again, scanning over Gareki's face.

His face was void of emotion but his eyes revealed it all. And what he saw was lust driven and still ever so thirsty. His mind and personality transitioning into someone Yogi was no longer familiar with. This personality never crossed over Gareki before. A whole other person was above him now.

"This won't hurt," Gareki said quietly. Yogi trailed his eyes down his face and saw his own blood covering Gareki's lips as he lowered his head down.

His body tensed as he felt the other boy's presence close in onto his sensitive regions. He couldn't bring himself to push him away. Body felt numb as if he really had been poisoned.

"Gareki, don't—" he threw his head back as a moan escaped his throat. "Stop it. . . this isn't like you. Gareki you have to gain control over yourself before you— ohh!"

Gareki trailed a tongue above the hem of his pants, sliding it up and over his navel until he reached his chest before choosing a tender spot to bite near his collar bone. His fangs sunk in, sending another pulse of excitement through the blonde's body.

Yogi clenched the grass beneath him as he let out an uncontrolled gasp. _Why does this feel so good? Is there something wrong with me?_ His chest moved up in down as he panted by the slow caress of Gareki's fingers on his chest, sliding over his nipple causing a small moan to leave him. _Why am I making such a sound. Stop!_

 _Could it just be my love for him that's causing me to feel this way?_ But then he rethought that because that wasn't correct. From the very first time Gareki had bitten him, it hadn't felt good. But something within the time of them both being together his feelings and emotions had sparked something slightly intimate between them within his mind. In other words, his emotions and feelings were just adding onto the pleasure of his fangs sinking in.

He looked at Gareki. Intense blue eyes stared right back at him as his tongue continued to take over, hindering him even more weak and useless only with a little will power to hold onto.

Yogi kept staring at him.

He looked like an entirely different person. His face twisted into something smug and wicked with mischievous intentions.

Yogi tried to push him off but a harder bite had him crying out loud. He whimpered, drained at his loss of strength. "Y-you can't do this. . ." He panted as he fidgeted by the pinch of his teeth. His chest being forced to the ground by Gareki's stronger body. His strength had some how increased during all this.

The older boy pulled out his fangs before looking down at Yogi's turned on expression. "Don't give me orders and don't try and stop me, plus. . ." he paused before moving his head down until his mouth was near his ear. "You like it, don't you? Your face says so much of what you're thinking."

Yogi froze. Gareki slid his cold hand down to his heart. He heard him take in a breath before speaking slowly. "Apparently your heart does too." He trailed his tongue ever so gingerly up Yogi's neck making him flinch with another gasp of breath.

He felt Gareki's breath fan over his neck as he blew out a short laugh through his nose at his cowering. He licked away remaining blood drops from his shoulder before whispering, "Your blood tastes fucking amazing. I've tasted it before and I still can't get enough. I don't know how I was able to hold myself back from you even when I wasn't craving for it, same goes for me being hungry. With blood like yours, how could I possibly resist?"

Yogi absorbed his words thinking that maybe Gareki really had been craving for his blood the entire time they had been together every day ever since he had gotten a taste of it. He was only hiding his cravings. But why?

 _Duh, he didn't want to kill you._ Spoke his conscience and just like that the words Gareki had told him that very night in Gabriel's house came rushing back to his memory furthering his theory of Gareki not wanting to kill him.

 ** _"Are you serious? Did you literally just say 'some' as if it's that easy to drink a little bit?"_**

It made sense now. No wonder Gareki was holding back the entire time, he didn't want to over drink.

Yogi felt stupid. How could he have possibly thought his blood cravings were over just from that one offering he had made with him that night? It would take more then that.

He made a note to himself that if Gareki turned back into his regular self then he'd be sure to give him blood to prevent this from happening again. He focused back onto the situation at hand.

"This isn't you, Gareki. I know you're only acting this way because you're being controlled by your urge."

"Of course it's me. You think this is all just an act." His glowing eyes squinted as he dragged his hand all the way down Yogi's toned stomach until it reached the hill between his legs.

His blank face stayed on but his voice offered amusement. "Well someone's enjoying them self." He added pressure before massaging it. Yogi gasped, body shivering. "Please—"

"Please what?" He bit down on his neck making him moan once more. His mind was slipping away making it hard to focus on what was important. "Snap out of it, I don't want to do it with you like this." He breathed, keeping his voice even.

"Does it look like I care?" He whispered against his skin. "Who ever said I was doing this for your needs anyway?"

Yogi clenched his hand in the dirt as he managed to think strait enough to come up with an idea. His magical pulse was weak but it was enough. He focused it into the soil. "I'll give you. . . one last chance t-to let me go."

Gareki yanked his fangs out of him again. Blood dripping from the corner of his lips and down his chin. "Didn't I just say I don't take orders from you." He growled, voice deep with irritation.

Yogi blinked, reciting a spell in his head. "Fine." Suddenly vines broke out of the Earth and wrapped around Gareki, pushing his body until his back hit the ground a few feet away. Vines held him at bay as he struggled against them.

His nails clawed at them making engravings. "Damn it! Get me out of this!" He growled angrily.

Yogi closed his eyes earning a few seconds to regain his magic and composure before leaning up. He pushed his shirt back over his chest and stomach before lifting himself to his feet.

He stepped toward Gareki but paused as he felt his member pressing against his pants. He warily looked down.

It wasn't too noticeable.

He heaved a sigh to calm his pounding heart. Feeling embarrassment and shame cross over him by the new sensation of arousal. Never had he felt this way before but he did have a clear idea of what it was.

At least his fresh wound had healed from Gareki's bite. That had been the only good thing during that escalated moment they had.

He knew he enjoyed the penetration of Gareki's fangs in his skin, mixing with his blood stream. But what had just occurred had been something intense and sexual. In other words, it hadn't been on his mind of enjoyment. It was forced like violation and that wasn't what he wanted Gareki to portray it as.

After a few passing minutes he had been waiting for his arousal to settle and it finally had, causing all the discomfort to throb away but indignity and embarrassment still remained.

How could he have gotten all hot and bothered at a time like this just from a bite? Sighing he walked over to Gareki who was still struggling against the vines.

Glowing eyes snapped up to his face once he was close enough. He glared, stopping his struggle. "You have exactly 5 seconds to get me out of this." He spoke through clenched fangs.

Yogi crouched down next to him, squinting his eyes as he stared at him. "Why haven't you turned back to your original self yet? I thought once you drank my blood you'd turn back."

Dark eyebrows pushed together as he tilted his head slightly forming a smirk finally. His expression read smug and cocky all over it. "Sorry blondy, but this is as original of me you're going to get." His tail flicked.

"Gareki I'm serious." Yogi insisted firmly.

"I'm serious too. I'm Gareki's alter ego, you know?" His eyes flared brighter, "Whenever he goes blood thirsty. Me and you met once."

Yogi frowned as he muttered to himself."Alter ego?" Then he said to Gareki,"Wait a minute, he actually has that?"

His smirk turned into a scowl. "Why else do you think me and him act different? Such as now being an example. I'm more thirsty for blood and reckless while he's more refined and stable. There's a difference."

Yogi still expressed confusion on his face but it had half transitioned into surprise. He looked down. "I never would've thought— that's so weird. I never would have expected him to have a split personality but I guess it makes sense." He looked back up.

"I'm still going to need you to change back though."

"Tch, and if I don't?" His hand flattened as he formed ice around it with a long sharp tip where all his fingers pointed strait. Yogi saw his actions before he could make a strike on his face.

He jerked back, landing on his butt as Gareki ripped right through a thick vine with his iced hand pin pointed where his head was a second ago.

If he hadn't of moved he would've been stabbed. "I should have done this already rather then waste my time," he said. Pulling his hand back he cut the rest of his body loose before lunging at Yogi.

But right as his ice covered hand came down Yogi held it back by grabbing hold of his wrist. The sharpness of it just above his nose. His hand shook as both of their strengths pushed against one another.

"Gareki, listen to me—"

"No! You listen to me damn it. I'm not changing back. Do you not know how long I've been inside of him? Locked away until I'm triggered by the next uncontrollable thirst for blood. I'm free and I'm not gonna let some fuckin Outsider stop me. Here's the deal, you let me go then no harm will be made to this pretty face of yours but if you see foot to stop me then obviously you're dead."

Yogi gave him a hard look, trying to appear unafraid which he wasn't. Gareki didn't scare him so why start having fear of him now?

"You won't do it. The **_real_** Gareki wouldn't allow it."

"Do you really want to say that?" Gareki inched the sharp blade of ice closer.

Yogi sighed dejectedly. "Sorry for what I'm about to do." He quickly threw aside his hand before lifting himself up connecting his forehead to Gareki's in a fast smack sending him back. He then lifted a boot and kicked him in his rib—not too hard hut enough to shove him— to make sure he was down for a few seconds, giving him enough time to get to his feet and think of an idea.

 _Think, I need to think of what happened last time when he was blood thirsty._ Yogi reflected on the first occurrence. He had reasoned with Gareki causing him to bite himself in order to stop his blood thirst. After that he changed back.

If only he could get him to do it again. He would have to reason with him. Maybe it would work again?

Gareki grunted as he stumbled to his feet, holding his head as he stood up strait. He glowered at Yogi through the strands of black hair in front of his eyes. He reached his hand up, wiping his lips from remainence of his blood before reaching it out in front of himself.

Yogi watched him closely. It was then that he noticed the temperature began to lower into degrees colder. He shivered but kept his eyes locked on the boy in front of him.

Snow slowly appeared before swirling in a circle in front of his open palm. A glowing blue ball appeared in the center of his hand before stretching out into a long staff then grew into a wide and jagged sharp blade. The glow of his weapon dimmed down revealing his upgraded glaive.

Yogi instantly realized the difference. The golden braces, the frost covering the black staff, the new silver blade with sharp curves, width and length. It looked bigger and maybe heavier but Gareki held it with one hand in ease.

Probably because the weapon was connected to him magically and physically, just like his amulet.

 _So he's had changes with not only his magic but his weapon as well?_

Gareki gripped his weapon with both hands looking as if he were ready to strike him with it at any given second. Yogi tensed, preparing to dodge if he did make a move of attack.

"I'm not going back," Gareki said deeply.

"You are. I won't allow you to control his body any longer. This isn't how the real Gareki would've wanted things."

He lifted his eyebrows as if to say: "How would you know?" And that's exactly what he said when his lips moved.

"I just do." Was all he could say. He wanted to say more. To reveal what he knew about the actual Gareki. But he decided to wait before trying to reason with him. He wanted to see if the stable Gareki would fight his own way out of his alter ego.

The Avatar glared. "Either you like it or not I'm here to stay." He lurched forward, weapon pulled back and ready to swing.

Yogi stood in place. He wanted to see if he really would attack him. How much of the real Gareki was still there?

His blade got closer and closer until it became obvious he wasn't going to hold back. Yogi brought up his amulet, holding it out, forming a barrier around himself just as Gareki's glaive connected with it's surface causing a few cracks to appear where his blade had impacted.

He took a step back. Inwardly feeling the force of the impact of his weapon causing his magical pulse to waver. After 3 seconds he regained it and took a step forward, back into his prior position.

 _This shield should be unbreakable even if I do only have half of my amulet. He's stronger, no doubt about it._

Gareki yanked his glaive away from the shield. Pulling it back before making another strong impact.

Yogi stepped back as he covered his eyes with one arm from the shards of his shield flying towards him. Grazing his skin with tiny scrapes like shards of glass. The pain was small so it was easy to ignore.

He dropped his arm away from his eyes just in time to see Gareki's weapon coming strait for him. It had broken completely through his shield with a loud shattering sound. "Shit!" He cursed, ducking down at the last second causing a few strands of hair to be nicked off. He rolled to the side to create distance between them. He rolled into a kneel just as Gareki swung his glaive towards him in a down motion.

This was one of those times Yogi wished he was as acrobatic and flexible as Gareki was considering that he could easily back flip out of the way if he were in this situation whilst he himself just fell backwards clumsily, spreading out his legs before the blade could cut them.

The glaive cut into the Earth between his legs nearly cutting into his lower regions that was also between his legs. He sighed in relief thankful for the few inches separating him from the tip of the blade.

He brought up a leg and pushed his boot into Gareki's stomach again sending him back.

Yogi stood up, keeping his eyes on Gareki who was grabbing his stomach with one hand while the other still held his glaive.

He grunted before pulling his face into a scowl. "You're fuckin going to pay for that." He gripped the staff with two hands.

Yogi took 3 cautious steps back, thinking that this was as good of a time as any to start reasoning with him since it was clear he wanted to really kill him. His hand hovered over the hilt of his sword on his hip. Thankful for the presence of a weapon.

"Gareki, if you're still in there then take control over yourself." His voice was some what firm but he failed to stop it from shacking as he stared in those ruthless glowing eyes of his.

They looked dangerous as if they were inwardly plotting different mechanisms to kill him. He ran towards him, glaive held up.

"As if that could work." He swung down again. Yogi deflected his blade with his sword. He pushed Gareki back causing him to stumble on small heaps of moss before catching his footing again.

"You're going to wish you hadn't done that. Especially when I'm done with you." He lurched forward in an almost blinding speed.

Yogi's eyes widened as he saw his next move in slow motion coming as soon as his hand outlined a turquoise he instantly knew it was going to be some kind of ice thrown his way.

Gareki was quick which only allowed him to think of one maneuver that would leave him partially unscathed. Hopefully the wound wouldn't be a deep one either.

He tensed his shoulders and made sure he had a light stance to prepare to move at the ready.

A long spear of ice shot out from Gareki's hand. Growing long and fast, heading right his way. Yogi maneuvered by turning his body so that the spear went past his chest but just like he'd expected he didn't go unscathed.

During his maneuver the spear had split the skin open on his upper arm, creating a deep cut. It hurt like hell and the cold touch didn't help, it did the opposite. It felt like cold fire zapping at his entire arm.

He let out a short groan through his clenched jaws. But he had to try and ignore the pain.

There was a sound of a blade cutting through air from behind and immediately he ducked down, hearing it woosh above his head.

Just when he was cleared from that attack he was kicked in the stomach by a boot which made it hurt way worse then any regular shoe.

He fell back with a thud. Unwillingly losing the grip he had on his sword handle. He hugged his torso while in the fatal position, mouth open in a silent cry.

He reached up and gripped his bleeding arm. He looked up and saw his sword a few inches away. He reached for it but Gareki came and kicked it aside. "Don't even think about it." He spat, making the spear of ice disappear before pointing his glaive down towards his face that was looking up at him.

"No more tricks for you, blondy. We finish this now." He pulled back his glaive before throwing it forward ready to stab him but Yogi held his uninjured hand out and yelled,"Gareki stop!"

Surprisingly Gareki paused in his attack but he didn't lower his weapon. He glowered down at the Sun Kingdom's prince eyebrows pushed tightly together. "Now you give up?"

Yogi breathed through his slightly gaping mouth before liking his dry lips, still with his arm up. He slowly shook his head. "No." He panted ,"I don't give up on the people I care about."

Gareki held tighter on the staff of his weapon."And what?" He shrugged," I'm supposed to be someone you care about?" He made it sound as if it were absurd. "That's really funny—"

"Well I'm not joking." Yogi interrupted sternly, offended.

Gareki skeptically squinted his eyes at him. "You care about me even though I sucked your blood like a wild animal and nearly killed you?"

He slowly nodded. "I know this isn't the real you. And yes, I do care about you despite that happening. You can call me crazy, just know it's the truth. But I do still want the other Gareki back. The stable one."

Gareki kept his glare on his face. "I told you already. I'm the original now so you just give up trying. It won't change anything."

Yogi dropped his arm."Yes it will." He sat up and gave him a serious expression, staring right in his eyes. "The real Gareki I know you're in there and if you can hear my voice then fight. Fight to take control over yourself."

Gareki wickedly smirked before lifting his glaive up, he brought it down where Yogi stood. Yogi rolled out of the way causing his injured arm to hurt even more. He bit his tongue to conceal another pained noise. He didn't want to show weakness in front of this person. He rolled to a stop and looked at Gareki again.

"Gareki please, I know you can hear me. Listen to what I said."

The Avatar walked over to him. The blade of his glaive radiating a blue hue. "You're so damn persistent. How do you know he'll listen? I can still feel the anger he has towards you. He just might want me to actually end your life."

Yogi's heart sunk at that revelation, he looked down to the ground. At that moment he felt heavy weights land on his shoulders, he had been effected by those cruel words.

Reaching up he clamped his hand around his wound, standing up carefully he shook his head. Blonde strands covering his eyes. "I don't believe it." He spoke in a whisper. Too quiet for Gareki to even hear.

"What?" He asked, stopping a few feet in front of him.

Yogi gripped tightly to his wound, jaw clenching. "How dare you say that? You're obviously telling a lie as if you could speak for him." He looked up, eyes staring intensely with a glimmer of sun light sparking in them. "You're lying, you're a damn lier and I refuse to believe a word you say about him."

He let go of his wound and reached his palm to the ground, sending his magic through the soil. Speaking a spell, vines appeared next to his sword a few feet away. They grabbed hold of it and threw it his way in which he caught it with his uninjured arm.

He then pointed it at Gareki. "I don't wish to fight you. This is your decision. But let me tell you something. I don't plan on giving up. I just need to let you know, I need my partner back. I can't possibly make it through this world without him. I really need him. . .so please. . ."

He trailed off as he stared sternly at Gareki. Hope being in his eyes.

Gareki continued to glare at him. Lifting his glaive, he struck it forward to finish what he started. He opened his mouth to speak but suddenly he froze. The blade an inch away from Yogi's forehead.

His teeth were clenched and bared. His eyes stared strait at him but seemed unfocused. He stumbled back, arms shacking slightly a he dropped his weapon to the ground.

"No!" He managed to say. It sounded forced. His hands reached up and gripped both sides of his head. "I'm not. . .relenting."

Yogi sensed that this was the real Gareki trying to gain controlcontrol. He lowered his sword. "Gareki fight your urge!" He yelled. That was the breaking point. No sooner had the words passed his lips Gareki instantly lifted his arm to his mouth and without hesitation, he bit down. Fangs sinking into the skin on his forearm.

Blood drizzled from his limb. His glowing eyes closed tightly.

Yogi stood in place, keeping a close eye on him. "Had his words worked? Or was this an act to lower his guard?

Gareki snapped his eyes open. They were no longer glowing a bright blue but a regular hue. He sat there, fangs still sunken into his arm. Yogi took a cautious step closer to him. "Gareki?"

Gareki dropped his hand away from his mouth and slowly averted his eyes to his face. He glared. He was back to normal.

Yogi figured he was mad about all that happened. Before he could stop himself he blurted out an apology even though Gareki had rejected one earlier.

"Gareki, I know you're still angry with me and I had no right to burn you earlier, we got in that fight and I didn't know what I was doing. I don't even deserve to call you a partner, you shouldn't even be here with me not when I put you through something like that. I know you must hate me especially after your blood thirst but—"

"I'm sorry." Gareki's voice came quiet but Yogi heard it all the same. He took a look at his face and saw that his glare had disappeared leaving a weak expression.

Yogi blinked. "For what?" He asked slowly.

Gareki stood up, his fang markings on his arm closing up automatically. He bent over and picked him his glaive, making it disappear in snow flakes. "Put away your sword. I'm not going to hurt you."

Yogi almost flinched at the soft tone Gareki was speaking to him with. He sheathed his sword but kept an eye on the boy in front of him. "Why are you apologizing? I'm the one who should be sayin—"

Gareki clamped a cold hand over his mouth, cutting him off. "Just be quiet. I don't give a damn about you needing to apologize because what I did to you. I deserve to say sorry."

He paused before looking him strait in the eyes. "I know what I did to you during my thirst for blood and I'm not happy about it. I nearly violated you. Something that's so disgusting that happened to me I didn't expect myself to do it to someone else."

Yogi reached a hand up and took down his hand over his mouth. "You remember?"

"Yeah, just about all of it. It's not like my mind is taken some where else during my thirst attacks. I can still see and hear everything but my body belongs to a different person when it happens. I only have some will power to try and regain my body back. And now you know about my alter ego."

Gareki pulled his hand away from his grasp, dropping it down to his side. "But what I did to you I can't forgive myself for. Violation is a crime no matter what. I can't believe I did something like that." He voice was deep with irritation.

Yogi couldn't believe what he was hearing. Gareki was caring about him. But fully saying it out loud.

"It's safe to say we're even for all that crap you did to make me angry with you, now I'm just angry at myself." He continued.

Yogi shook his head. "I except your apology. But that wasn't you. I knew it wasn't the real you the entire time. I know you—the stable you wouldn't do something like that. And when I reasoned with you I'm just glad you were able to fight yourself for control. I had no idea you still craved my blood like that but I was being oblivious about it. I should say sorry for that."

Yogi reached a hand up and brushed aside blonde strands of hair. "I just wish you told me. Why didn't you?"

Gareki crossed his arms over his chest while looking down. Eyebrows pulled together.

"I needed to teach myself on how to hold myself back from blood and telling you I knew you'd get all worried then you'd be giving up your blood at any given time. I need to restrain myself from it. Maybe then I won't crave it as much. But I see now that clearly that was a bad idea."

Yogi gave him a serious look. "Yeah it was a bad idea which from now on I'll be taking care of your blood problem until further notice."

Gareki didn't argue. His irritated expression turned into cautiousness. "Fine," he said reluctantly. "But I still don't forgive what I did to you. That's something that's going to be difficult to get over." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and began walking in the direction they were headed in before all this happened.

Yogi couldn't even say anything to him before he walked off. He watched his tensed back as he walked farther and farther away stopping to wait against the wall.

He took a step over to him but stopped as he spotted the map underneath a stone. Yogi picked it up and pocketed it before continuing over to Gareki.


	10. Distractions

The day was over and the night was young. Luminescent bushes and the leaves on the trees began to glow in varieties of colors as the sun set allowing the moon light to seep in from the large holes in the cave sealing.

The Spiritual Beasts made their presence known as a two tailed Spinx crossed an intersection in the maze. It stopped to give them both a glance before hissing and leaping away over the tall stone wall as if it's body were weightless.

A Spinx in the Arcial Realm was a mixture of a fox and a two tailed leopard the size of a mountain lion. It's translucent fur the color of tan with black spots here and there. But it's snout was longer, more narrow opposed to a cat.

Gareki watched it go before returning his sights on his magic in hand. He twitched his fingers as his palm stood open. Sparks of ice formed into darts, small darts to be specific. He wiggled all his fingers causing the darts to spin in a simultaneous circle.

He concentrated only on them for an amount of seconds before pausing his finger's movements and bent them as if he were making them into claws. This caused the darts to morph together into a small figurine.

He wasn't sure what he was making, he was just doing it. Letting his imagination do all the work.

The ice still floated above his palm. Lips parting, he blew a soft chilled breath onto the piece of ice art work. His breath blowing off blue sparkling specks of light as if it were dust.

He connected his lips back together and stared closely at the ice. It was down to the smallest details that he knew his imagination had some fucking talent at making origami out of ice rather than paper.

What he had subconsciously made was a water demon. The water demon was a dragon and was said to have lived underneath the sea's for years. No land walkers had seen it but the sea people had. That was obvious.

 _Why the hell did I make this?_ He thought with a questioning squint of his eyes. "Because I need the distraction."

He pulled one leg up to his chest, leaving the other stretched out against the over grown blades of grass.

His back leaning against the stone wall as he sat. Tall grass coming up to his mid bicep and around the rest of his body. He felt as if he were being engulfed in it's tallness and it's overwhelming smell of Earth.

But that was okay. It was a better scent then the lingering aroma of Yogi.

His smell was an indentation that kept passing through his nose. It stayed in the air around him no matter what. It was fainter now because he wasn't near but as soon as he was close, it became stronger.

Gareki thought about it. Yogi had an odd smell. He didn't stink, it was quite the opposite. Like something rugged and masculine that hit you right away. The smell of the outside world, windy with a hint of pine cone and ivory. He got a whiff of a sweet blood scent too which only made him crave the taste of it every time Yogi was near.

This was why he needed a distraction. He needed away from the blonde. He smelt too much like food. And without any other food source to feed on it only made it harder to hold back what his instincts wanted him to do.

He was surprised he hadn't killed him by now.

His eyes continued to stare at his finished work in his hand. It may have been a distraction but it didn't stop his mind from slipping into previous occurrences as to what had happened earlier that day.

He'd forgiven Yogi for all the things he had done that had made him angry but in return he wouldn't forgive himself for what he almost did to the Sun Kingdom's prince.

He felt like a wild animal all because of his blood thirst.

In quick and bright flashes he saw his own fangs entering Yogi's neck. The pained and satisfied look on his face as it happened.

The skin on skin contact as his cold fingers trailed over the warm skin of his chest. The way Yogi had moaned after that as if what was being done to him felt good.

His tongue trailing up his abs until reaching his chest. Yogi's breath had hitched then.

And the most shocking one of all was his own hand feeling in between the blonde's legs, at the hard protrusion.

Gareki flinched out of his visions, gasping a quick breath as he darted his eyes around. He'd forgotten where he was for a moment before recalling he was still in Lim Fay.

Relaxing his muscles he hunched back against the wall. Exhaling he shoved fingers onto his scalp pushing his hair back and away from his forehead.

"Why was he . .enjoying it?" He muttered. He felt shocked to the core as if he were being mind fucked. He questioned himself if those things really happened? If they were real or if it was all some dream? But it hadn't felt like one.

Everything was vivid.

He shook his head. "Why the hell was I doing that to him? I didn't do that the last time my cravings for blood took control over me."

He pushed his hand further back into his hair and heaved another sigh. Dropping his arm back down to his lap. I _didn't almost violate him last time. Last time had been normal but now. . . I nearly went too far, but why? There has to be a damn reason for my actions._

He reached up and pinched his nose while closing his eyes in thought. He knew his alter ego's instincts were connected to what his stable mind wanted but nearly violating Yogi, had he wanted that— no, he shook his head. No, that couldn't have been. . . unless. . .he had feelings towards Yogi in which it had effected his alter ego's intentions. But he strongly doubted that.

But even if he doubted there was a small part of his mind telling him other wise. His alter ego's actions had been connected to his feelings, in which he came to grow a liking for Yogi.

Confusion and bewilderment had him staring at the ground wide eyed. He wasn't familiar with the emotion of affection—love— but when he thought of Yogi just a fraction of a second his heart gave an excited jolt, it was small but noticeable. It surprised him.

He lurched back, hitting his head against the stone wall, gasping a short breath feeling as if he had lost his breathing. That was a foreign feeling. His heart had never given an excited jolt like that before.

He placed a hand over his chest where his pumping organ was, feeling it thud normally now.

He trailed his hand away from his heart and brought it over his face, leaving his index and middle fingers parted to see through one eye. His other being covered by his fringe. His mouth gaped open underneath his hand as he thought about it further.

"That's not true. . . that just isn't."

But he was only lying to himself. He had feelings for Yogi and no amount of refusing was going to change that.

He had been so wrapped up in their objective that he didn't realize it sooner either that or he was completely oblivious to how he felt. It surprised him that he could feel. . .love for someone let alone know what it meant and how it felt.

He slowly shook his head, continuing to stare at the ground. Just because he had feelings for Yogi didn't mean he wanted the feelings to stay, he wanted them gone.

It was wrong on so many levels. They were polar opposites which was all the more reason to force his newly found affections away. He didn't need a distraction like this on his mind, not with everything they still had to do.

"Nice work, that looks great." Came Yogi 's voice, startling Gareki who had lost his guard from all the thoughts crossing his mind.

Pulling his hand away from his face he looked up to see Yogi coming from around the corner carrying a pile of firewood. That's where he had been this whole time, hunting for more wood for the fire crackling in the center of the enclosed space they'd found earlier to camp out for the night.

Gareki didn't reply he just lifted his left hand that still had the ice figurine in it. He squeezed his hand closed and crushed it before dropping the shards to the ground. Shacking his hand for the remaining shards sticking to his palm.

Yogi dropped the firewood near the fire and watched as he did that. He averted his eyes to Gareki's face. His expression looked as if he'd seen a ghost the way his eyes were widened.

Dusting himself off he asked, "Hey, are you okay? You don't look so good."

Gareki looked up at him and saw the two impaled markings where his fangs had been on his neck. They hadn't quite healed yet. He instantly turned his head away as scenes from that occurrence appeared in flashes again. He shut his eyes tightly. "Yeah." He swallowed ,"I-I'm fine." Though he didn't sound convincing.

Yogi eyed him. "You sure?" He took a step over but stopped as Gareki snapped his eyes open. Yogi's aroma had gotten stronger it passed his nose overwhelmingly. He glared at him, silently telling him to back up and he did. Retreating back to where he stood prior.

His shoulders loosened as Yogi was a tolerable distance away from him. "I just need personal space right now." He offered quietly.

"Course." Yogi agreed in understanding. He sat down near the fire. Watching the flames before slowly bringing his eyes back up to Gareki's. "Do you need any to drink?"

He was talking about blood. Gareki didn't even want to hear that word anymore. Crossing his arms he shook his head.

Yogi minded his own business by throwing in a few twigs into the fire, prodding at the flames with a stick soon after.

Gareki in his lap flexed his hands open and closed, releasing the tightness in his shoulders. Wouldn't take a genius to figure out he was on edge from his knowledge of his true feelings.

If they were feelings at all. He was new to the emotion of loving someone but he hoped it'd be gone soon. In the mean time, he needed a distraction, something to keep his mind mainly on one thing at least for a little bit.

He scrounged around his brain for a topic to speak of. For now he'd keep his questions about his flashing visions of Yogi enjoying what had happened between them earliler to himself until he felt ready to speak of it. He wasn't too keen on knowing why Yogi was enjoying the intimate things he was doing to him but sooner or later that conversation would need to be brought up.

He recalled what Karoku had told him about combining magic. He'd wanted to tell Yogi this but so many things had happened he'd forgotten.

He changed his sitting position, instead crossing both his legs along with his arms.

"Karoku, he mentioned something important to me when I was fighting him." He started. Yogi looked up from the fire expectedly.

Gareki could tell from the clear view of his eyebrows creasing that he didn't like the name he'd spoken.

"Oh?" He prompted, "What did that demon have to say?" He poked at the fire still.

"It's about us combining. He told me it has happened here in this world; that it went all the way back to the dark ages. I had no clue. You were right, my mother didn't tell me for some reason."

Yogi stopped for a minute before finally speaking. "How do you know if he's telling the truth? He's a mischievous demon so he lies for his own amusements." His voice had a clear tone of dislike when he spoke about Karoku.

"I know the bastard lies but he wouldn't lie about something like this, doesn't make any sense and plus, he's been here since the dark ages. He's seen it for himself. Death Keepers have been here longer than I have."

Yogi nodded. "Now we know it's actually happened here, that's solved but we still need to figure out the mystery of what's going on with _**us.**_ "

Gareki lifted both eyebrows as he gestured for him to continue with a hand. "With _**us**_?"

"Yes, with us. Me with my new fire element and you with your new electricity element. Their has to be some reason why we suddenly have these powers."

Gareki sighed, closing his eyes."Whatever, my new element is a dud. I haven't been able to shoot electricity ever since the fight with Karoku." He scratched his head.

"I was just about to ask you about your element if you were able to speak a word in German? It'll activate it."

Gareki opened his eyes. "Even if I could I doubt I would. Didn't you hear me say my new element is a dud?"

Yogi smiled. "I did but that's what's supposed to happen. At least I would know because it happened to me. Just be patient."

Gareki stared at him, eyes transfixed on his lips. He didn't notice before but Yogi had a good smile. Suddenly it faltered and spoke his name snapping him out of his daze. He looked up into Yogi's eyes instead.

"What?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" He frowned with concern.

But instead of answering his question he countered it with another. "I remember you telling me that once you thought I was dead when that troll we fought the other day threw me that was when your fire element first triggered, you said to me that my new element will be triggered the same way. I'm wondering if that's really going to be the case?"

Yogi threw the stick into the fire he had been prodding it with. "What? Are you starting to have doubts?"

"I might as well be. Their might be another way for me to trigger it but still, I think it was a dud."

"You'll be proven wrong sooner rather then later." Yogi informed.

Gareki didn't reply to that. Just as the distraction had come it had gone just as quickly leaving him to think about what he had figured out earlier. The atmosphere suddenly changed making it hard all over again for him to breathe. Everything was closing in on him, filling the void he kept empty.

Everything came falling down making him finally snap with annoyance and aggravation. His feelings, the new emotions he had for the person sitting a few feet away, the scent he gave off, his earlier craving for blood that nearly escalated to violation. It was too much.

Without a word he jerked to his feet, yanked his hood on and shoved his hands into his pockets before briskly walking away from the fire.

Yogi looked up and called out to him,"Where are you going?"

Gareki stopped but didn't turn around. His tongue moved across one of his fangs before answering. "I can't." He shook his head. "I just fucking can't right now. I _**need**_ to get away from you."

"Gareki." He sounded sincere ,"I knew something was going on with you and if it's about earlier with your blood thirst thing. . .it's fin—"

He turned quickly to face him. "There _**isn't** _ anything fine about it!" He snapped. Half of him wondered why the hell he yelled that while the other just wanted to express the frustration he felt.

He saw the surprised look on Yogi's face from his outburst. He almost felt guilty for yelling at him. Almost.

Yogi's face slowly turned serious. "You're right, there isn't anything fine about what you did. But I chose to forgive you despite you nearly violating me."

Gareki dropped his tense shoulders. "I don't understand you. How the hell can you possibly forgive me so easily?"

"Because I know that wasn't you. I know we just met 11 days ago but I feel like I know you better than anyone in this realm. You're the only person I can really trust here. I know you wouldn't do anything like that to me because it's just not like you. Plus, that was your alter ego. "

"Either it was my alter ego or not I still did it."

"You really can't let it go, can you," Yogi said incredilously. "You need to forgive yourself, Gareki or else you're never going to look at yourself the same way again. You'll always be regretting instead of moving on. You won't be able to focus on what's important anymore."

Gareki shook his head. "You may be able to forgive me but it's too late for me to forgive myself." He turned and continued walking until he was out of site.

Yogi sighed trying to figure if he should go after him this time or stay put. _He needs time to think I need to respect that. But still the urge to protect him keeps eating away at me. I'll wait a few minutes before going after him. Even if he will be mad at me for following it's better than getting himself killed alone._

Yogi sat there waiting. Staring into the fire at it's constant jumping from the slow breeze blowing against it.🔥🚿🎳

He heard the leaves around him rustle and he suddenly was on guard. He causally leaned back on his hands so one of them could be near his sword if something or some one popped out.

But nothing did even when a few minutes passed. He suddenly wondered if Gareki was okay but just when he was about to get up he felt the presence of someone lurking and eyes were watching his back.


	11. The First Appearance

**Music Choice—Red— Breathe Into Me**

 **And This Is How It Feels When I**

 **Ignore The Words You Spoke To Me**

 **And This Is Where I lose Myself When**

 **I Keep Running Away From You!**

* * *

The bushes shivered with slight movement. Something was clearly there.

Yogi glared at them. He couldn't see a figure of a Spiritual Beast nor did he see one in the shape of a human through the leaves. He slowly stood up, keeping his violet eyes glued to the vegetation.

He planted a hand on the warm handle of his sword, feeling his magical pulse flare up for the ready to attack if something lunged out for him.

Remaining vigilant with his guard up he slowly pulled his sword out of it's sheath.

He held it low with both hands so he could swipe upwards at the ready. He parted his feet just in case he needed to move quickly for an attack he would be too slow to counter.

Remaining in his position, refusing to move any closer. That seemed to be the main mistake swordsman made.

They always wanted to get closer to there target when it was in hiding and once they were close enough then they'd end up dead. You needed space between the enemy and yourself to allow yourself a chance of self defense.

His glowing eyes stayed plastered on the bushes in front of him. "I know you're there. Show yourself." His voice deep and stern demanded.

Silence was the response. Yogi waited just in case something would pop out to reveal it's self but nothing did. He opened his mouth to give another demand but suddenly a slow wind blew, ruffling the trees surrounding him. Causing the leaves to chatter.

He felt a cold chill ghost up his arms. He knew the feeling of Gareki's magic but this one was unfamiliar, it didn't feel like his.

He blew out a breath from his parted lips only to see it fog white in front of his eyes. He gripped his sword, eyeing the shadows in the corner of his eyes.

It definitely wasn't like Gareki to be playing games. Yogi had never even saw him laugh before so he knew the Avatar never joked or pranked. This clearly wasn't his doing.

"Where are you?" He asked quietly. He heard a whooshing sound behind him and whirled around only to see that the fire was dancing wildly as if wind had blown against it.

It casted shadows all around him. He began to hear whispers as if they were both close to his ears and far away.

They were speaking consistently at the same time, making it difficult to interpret what they were saying.

He managed to catch some of the words though.

"Give away the amulet."

"Give us the amulet."

"He who holds the amulet must die!"

He was shoved hard from behind and fell to the ground. The wind being knocked out of his lungs. He whirled on his back to fight his inflicter but before he knew it strong hands were clenching around his neck. Strangling him.

* * *

Gareki trekked forward, glaring up at the moon through one of the large holes from above.

Hands clenched into fists inside his pockets. He trailed his eyes down to the ground where his boots walked heavily on the tall grass. Hearing it rustle beneath him.

His jaws felt tight against his face as he clenched his teeth together.

He needed a damn moment to himself. To think. To empty the void inside of him again. That same void that shouldn't have been filled in the first place.

That void was his emotion. The feelings he felt. They were a huge burden. This was why he didn't need them. He was an Avatar for Christ's sake! The very definition of not having them inside at all.

He didn't know what to do with them the only emotion he really felt connected to and fully understood was his anger. That one emotion had played a huge part of him in his life time.

It was easy and he felt like he could channel things better. But every other emotion was a bother or rather they were cryptic.

How was he supposed to understand them? Feelings that he felt foreign to. Like he'd just opened a door to a room he was new to. It was so confusing.

 _Let them control you and it'll all work out._ Came Yogi's voice inside his mind.

Gareki abruptly stopped, turned to a stone wall and punched it. Hard. It didn't hurt. In fact he hurt the wall more than he hurt himself.

His fist stood in the center of a 10 inch crater. "You don't know anything." He spat, pulling away his fist.

 _I know it's only been 11 days since we've met but I feel like I know you better than anyone in this realm._

Gareki covered his face with both hands, clawing at his skin as he growled deeply. "Get the hell out of my damn head!" He raged.

"You _**don't**_ know me. You don't know at all!"

He felt like he was going insane it was too overwhelming too much that he couldn't take. He backed up until his back hit the dented surface of the stone wall where he had punched. He dropped one of his hands away from his face, leaned the back of his head against the wall and up turned it towards the sealing.

He kept his eyes clenched shut behind his right hand that was covering them before eventually dropping that one too. "You don't know me. Not one bit. No one does and I doubt they will. No one can change that."

But that was the problem with Yogi. He thought he could change him. That there was some part of him that could feel and express. And he damn well succeeded.

Now he was fighting with himself because he found out the truth. It was all Yogi's fault for awakening the emotions inside his empty void. He hated love he hated Yogi right now. He wanted it all to go away so he could feel nothing again.

Not having to feel the heavy weight of emotions would be like a burden lifting from his shoulders and a blessing.

He sighed, feeling a cold breeze pick up. Opening his eyes he saw a ray of moonlight shining down on him. He stared at it for who ever knows how long before finally looking away.

The wind picked up blowing black hair in his eyes. He shoved it away as he took a step away from the wall. His temper had calmed only slightly. But it was enough to compel him to go back to Yogi even if he did hate him for the moment.

He took a step but paused and instantly whirled around coming face to face with a boy with glowing red eyes and nearly black dark blue spiky hair, one side being shaved to a buzz cut leaving the other side to grow shoulder length. He was a few inches tall and had two silver studs in the upper part of his right ear.

He was dressed in a black leather hoodie, black ripped jeans and combat boots. He noted the dark sword strapped to his back.

Gareki immediately had his guard up as the boy threw a punch towards his face. He caught it with a hand but as soon as he did he felt his body flying then falling through the air as the boy flipped his body over his head.

Gareki landed hard on his back. Jaw clenched he looked up at the boy who still had a grip on his hand.

"You call that self defense?" He asked coldly, blank of emotion.

Before Gareki could retort he was flung through the air again. His back slammed against the stone surface of the wall. The wind rushed out of him. His body being indented to the wall couldn't move.

He caught a glimpse of the boy running towards him ready for another attack with his fist pulled back.

Gareki closed his eyes tightly, regaining his magical pulse. His eyes snapped open both flaring bright blue as did his tribal tattoos on his arms as he summoned a spell.

Ice erupted from the ground right in front of him, creating a shield. The boy's fist impacted it with a loud crash. It broke through connecting with Gareki's face.

He felt his entire body breaking through the stone wall before hitting the other side of the ground. He rolled to a stop on his stomach. His every muscle aching painfully but mostly his face and the back of his skull.

Despite this he still felt the will to fight. It made it easier to ignore the pain.

Footsteps echoed to his ears as they came closer to his body. He picked himself up on his hands and knees, looking directly at the boys face with a deadly glare.

Blood dripped from his nose, cascading down the bow of his lips. "Who the hell are you?" He wiped the blood away with the back of his hand.

The boy gave him a blank look as he stopped near him. "Your worst nightmare." He lifted his leg getting ready to kick him in the gut but Gareki was prepared.

He lifted himself on a hand stand and lashed him underneath his jaw with the toe of his boot, knocking him aside, stumbling.

Gareki dropped down to his feet, stood up and threw a punch at his face. The boy rocked left from the impact just as Gareki lifted a leg and swung high kicking him to the right redirecting his fall.

He fell to the ground, holding his face with a hand. His red eyes glowered up at his blue ones.

He dropped his leg and quickly walked over to him and gripped his shirt, hoisting him up to a sitting position. While his other hand pulled back, glowing brightly with a blast of his magic.

"I'll ask you again. _ **Who.** _ The. Hell. Are. You?"

"I don't think you're in the position to be asking me that." He lifted a hand and suddenly a bright ray of red and black hit his vision making him blind.

Gareki jerked back just as a hard fist plunged into his stomach. An aching sensation sky rocketed up his abdomen and chest once again knocking the wind from his lungs.

He fell back, feeling the surface of the Earth beneath him. Everything hurt. Who ever this guy was. He had one he'll of a punch.

Gareki felt the world around him spinning. He opened his eyes but he could only see white and black floating stars blocking everything out. He hoped his vision wasn't permanently blinded.

Grimacing, he lifted his stomach to breathe more air in but was only rewarded with a sharp ache to his abdomen.

He heard the boys footsteps move. "You're weak just like pray." A strong grip on one of his ankles had him struggling to move but he couldn't. He had stupidly underestimated his pain tolerance.

He thought he could handle this but he couldn't. Now here he was, not being able to defend himself.

Gareki felt the ground beneath him slide. The boy was dragging his body to who knows where. He felt the glowing of his eyes and tattoos dim down into their natural colors.

They took up too much magic; he would need it for the perfect moment. But for now, he needed a break to allow his body to recuperate. His next move depended on it.

As for now he thought of his next course of action. It was good to be always prepared.

"I'm not weak like you assume I am."

A moment of silence before the boy replied. "You're attacks are sloppy."

"Doesn't mean I'm weak. Believe me when I say that so don't be a dick about it."

"Says the guy who's being dragged by his inflicter."

Gareki found a challenge within his words. He hated being tested by ass holes who thought they had the upper hand. "You don't believe me?"

Before he got an answer his back was slammed to a hard surface. Another stone wall, he realized.

A grip wrapped around his neck, holding the air he needed to survive. "Why should I when I'm about to kill you."

Gareki clenched and unclenched his hands trying to see if he was able to move them. Luckily he could just in time to. Now his course of action could commence.

Even if his eyes weren't cooperating he could still make it work. He heightened his senses. Hearing, touch and smell.

The hand around his neck tighten. He brought up his legs and kicked the boy in his groin and abdomen forcing him to let go as he was shoved back.

He groaned both painfully and angrily. Gareki dropped to the ground instantly summoning a spell with quick hand symbols.

Not at all being hindered by the absence of his eye sight.

He heard the ground break away as ice spears long and sharp broke free. They floated upwards, away from the ground levitating above his head. He sent them flying in the direction the boy was.

The boy recovered and jumped back as one of the spears shot down in the spot he'd been standing in.

He landed back on the ground. Bringing his hands down to his sides he charged red and black currents of electricity in his palms before throwing it at the flying spears coming his way.

They each blew into pieces as soon as they were hit. Once they were all gone he sprinted towards Gareki. Pulling one of his hands back, charging it with another beam of electricity.

Gareki closed his eyes, focusing on the vibrations. He sensed quick movement coming in his direction. He was running really fast. He could hear the snapping of electricity coming closer to where he was standing.

Both his hands glowed blue as he held one out. A bright ball of light coming out of his palm before throwing it.

The boy dodged the blow before coming up close to Gareki with his arm pulled back about to inflict him but the Avatar caught him by the wrist and swung him away before throwing another blast at him.

It hit him strait in the chest, sending him rolling on the ground.

Gareki summoned his glaive, twirling it in his hands before directing it at his enemy.

"Why are you fighting me?!"

"Is there a purpose to this shit or are you really trying to kill me?"

Suddenly his eyes felt fuzzy. Opening them he could see again. He looked directly at the boy as he pushed himself up to his feet, glaring daggers at him.

"My purpose doesn't concern you. I just need to get you out of the picture so my mission can be complete."

"What kind of discreet answer was that?" Gareki asked more to himself rather then to him. As if on que he thought about Yogi.

Was he being distracted while something bad was happening back at camp?

His eyes warily met his red ones. He had a guess of what this was all about now. "I know your plan. Nice try, but I'm not waiting anymore time with you."

Gareki took a step back before turning to walk away. Just as he did a bolt of electricity zapped the Earth that was near him.

He didn't flinch only stared at it like it was worthless. He turned half way to the boy who had his arm stretched out with bolts of electricity zapping from his hand.

"You don't have a choice. Walk away and your friend dies."

Gareki fully turned around and set his jaw in place, feeling irritated. "He's a dead man already if you want to keep me here so badly." His eyes once again glowed brightly. He could feel his fangs grow an inch longer from his growing temper.

The boy smirked. Obvious to his anger. "That's cute and all that you care—

" That's cute and all but I didn't ask you to give a fuckin comment." He snapped irritably as he brought up his glaive with both hands, the blade pointing strait at the boys head. "You want to fight me so damn bad, then bring it jackass." He challenged.

The boy smirked, his red eyes appearing brighter. The electricity in his hands snapped wildly. "That's more like it." He outstretched his hands, throwing bolts his way.

Gareki kneeled and quickly touched the ground causing a small glacier to lift from the ground, lifting him with it. He stood up just as a bolt connected to the ice causing it to burst apart.

He lifted his glaive and propelled himself down towards the boy. He swung it through thin air causing a cold strong breeze of winter wind to hit him.

The boy flew backwards but at the last minuted had thrown a bolt in the air.

"Shit." Gareki cursed knowing full well he couldn't shield himself fast enough. The bolt hit him, throwing him back with a strong force.

He fell slightly unconscious from the jolting impact but was aware enough to recite a spell. He turned towards the ground and with a series of hand symbols had created snow for a soft landing.

Picking himself up he brushed snow from his arms before focusing on the boy that had gotten back up to his feet as well.

"Damn it! I don't have time for this." He seethed.

 _If only I could use electricity then this fight could be over with. Who knows, Yogi might be dead by now. I may hate him but he's still an ally._

His hands glowed blue again as he channeled his magic in them. He transfered it into his glaive and shot a blast at him.

The boy raised his hands up with a red ball of energy in each one that swarmed with electricity. He made the electricity grow bigger until it was surrounding him like a dome.

His blast hit it but it did nothing. Not even knocking him off his feet.

The boy continued to smirk. "Nice try but I can do better." With that said the shield around him absorbed back into the two balls of energy in his hands. He pointed them at Gareki and threw them both.

They cut through the air unbelievably quick. Gareki jumped up high just as they hit the spot he had been standing in. But the after shock he was captured in causing him to lose his balance in mid air and flip uncontrollably.

It felt as if an invisible force was shoving him forward. Suddenly something sharp penetrated his lower abdomen going all the way through until coming out his backside.

Blood gushed out from his mouth. He hadn't seen it coming, no time to move his body to dodge.

He landed hard. Feeling his body drag against the dirt for what felt like a long time before finally coming to a stop. His body fell limply to the ground with a thud. A few seconds passed.

He didn't move. Blood trailed from the corner of his mouth and nose. Eyes starring blankly at nothing

Footsteps came walking over to him before grabbing the back of his hoodie, yanking him up.

"Are you dead?" Asked the boy flatly.

No response.

The boy threw his body so that he was laying on his back. He looked down at his bleeding face. He'd been cut on the cheek and was bleeding badly from a shard of rock that had struck him through his stomach.

"You have to be dead. Good ridence—

Suddenly Gareki lurched upwards wrapping strong hands around his neck before kneeing him in the stomach. He the fisted a hand full of the boys hair and brought his head down and smacked him with a knee in his face. He heard a snap but kept smashing his face into his knee cap until throwing him hard into a stone wall. He charged forward delivering a brutal punch to his face.

"I'm not dead until I've won a real fight!' He snarled.

His glowing blue eyes were ruthless, wild and angry. He kept punching him even when his arms ached and the bleeding wound on his stomach stabbed him with a sharp pain.

" You made a big mistake trying to kill me!"

Suddenly strong arms wrapped around his chest tightly, trying to pull him away but he wouldn't budge. He kept hitting him, fist being covered in the boys blood.

" Gareki stop. Stop it! He's dead!"

He knew that voice but it wasn't enough to stop him from throwing punches. The arms around him pulled harder.

He threw back an elbow, jabbing the blonde pestering him. "Get the hell off me, Yogi! Don't get in my way or else I'll put you in the same situation he's in."

 _Wait. Yogi?_

He turned around just as a slap was brought across his face. Suddenly he snapped out of his hysteria and slowly gave the blonde a confused look. "W-what?"

Yogi gripped his shoulders and shook him. "Snap out of it Gareki he's dead. No ones hurting you! Okay?!" He breathed.

Gareki turned to see the boy disappear in red and black dust. But before he disappeared completely he swore he heard the boy say: " This isn't over."

He slowly turned back to Yogi half wondering if he was okay while the other half was just confused and felt like he was high. He stumbled towards Yogi who grabbed him by the shoulder to steady him.

"God Gareki, you're bleeding so much," he said horrifically. Gareki stared at his face. He looked like he had a fight of his on telling my the purple finger indentations of his skin around his neck as if someone was choking him.

"You're. . .not. . .dead?" He felt weak and felt as if the world were spinning. His vision started to grow blurry in the corners.

"I got ambushed and— Gareki?. . .Oh shit. Stand up Gareki, stay with me, okay?. . .Gareki?!"

He fell forward almost hitting the ground but luckily Yogi grabbed him just in time.

He lowered him down to the ground carefully holding his face. He saw blood dripping from his parted lips.

His eyes trailed down to the shard of rock in his abdomen and a sense of dread went through him. "Not again." He held tightly to his wound to prevent more blood loss.


	12. At Odds

Sinking in and out of awareness. The world was dark, uneven and twisted into blobs of stars mixed with a harlequin explosion of smoky purples, blues and magentas. As if he were sinking into the black eye of a dark hole but was really the Galaxy.

It made his head churn with nausea. His eyes opened, half lid. He saw a bright white light and it wasn't the tiny stars.

This one was vast and emitted sparks of light all around it's circular form. It was gaining size either that or it was getting closer.

He continued to stare at it as his body floated in space, weightlessly. His hair floating every which way as if a wind were breezing through it slowly. He figured the assumption if he was dead but wasn't entirely sure.

He closed his eyes as the light filtered over his face. He could breathe again, automatically. It didn't take long for his sense of sensation returned as well. Suddenly he could feel the pain. The aching of each muscle in his body. The beating of his own heart.

It propelled him forward towards the light and just like that. . .he was awake. . .and alive. He had seen the after world before his eyes. The place where souls went. But he wasn't dead just yet.

Gareki abruptly snapped his eyes open and went to sit up only to be pushed back down by gentle hands on his bare chest. He noted he was shirtless.

"No. Lay back down." Came Yogi's quiet voice. It sounded far away. He blinked a few times, trying to regain his composure and sight.

Back in reality.

Gareki trailed his eyes up the length of the blonde's arms, soon coming up to his face. His violet eyes revealing both relief and worry. Yogi pulled his hands away as he watched Gareki look tiredly around their new location.

"Where the hell are we?" He grumbled, still feeling the ache of his muscles along with the burning of the wrapped wound on his stomach. White bandages circled his abdomen tautly. But not to the point where he couldn't breathe.

He remembered what had caused the injury and visibly clenched the couch he was laying apon. Yogi caught that action from him before explaining, "We're in another cave that belongs to Jiki. He picked us up a few minutes after our ambushes. I'm glad he did. You almost died. . . again."

Gareki closed his eyes and dropped his head back against a small pillow. Bringing a hand to cover his eyes. He couldn't recall how many times he came close to death while being on this journey with Yogi. He risked his life pretty much every day it seemed. He might as well have almost died more times then Yogi which didn't make any sense considering he was new to this world while he himself had lived here for 118 years of his life time.

But in all honesty he knew his life would be on the line ever since he agreed to help the Outsider.

"Where is he and how long have I been out?" He rubbed his forehead to soothe the headache.

Yogi pulled his arms away, placing his hands on his knees. He was sitting a short distance away but it was enough for Gareki to not smell his scent as strongly.

"He's outside collecting herbs— more plants. And you haven't been out for very long. A couple of hours giver or take. It's nearly midnight."

Gareki removed his hand and opened his eyes to look at Yogi. He noticed he looked different. Not just his new attire but his features as well.

His hair had grown slightly longer and straighter, it looked darker in the fire light that was crackling in one of the hanging lamps from the sealing. His cheek bones, lips, nose, eyes just all seemed more striking than they had before. He looked. . .handsome.

It looked like this worlds time difference was taking effect to him finally. He was 19 but only being in the Arcial Realm made his features transition to someone older. He looked about 20 now.

He had been blind to it before but now that his true feelings were realized, he noticed these things about Yogi that he never even dreamt to think about. But he still hated him for the time being.

As for his attire, his lean body was dressed in a garnet colored button up shirt. The buttons were a light tan and the sleeves were folded up above his elbows. Black slim jeans with matching black ankle high boots.

He had a wrapping of bandages around his left arm. He'd been injured apparently.

Gareki suddenly got nostalgic. He recalled the boy he'd faught earlier. No doubt he was a new enemy.

"We both got ambushed but they clearly wanted something from you. At least that's one of the clues I figured out from my attacker." _Didn't get his name though._

Yogi gave him a sullen expression as he gripped his amulet. "They were trying to take this. . .and she nearly killed me just to get to it. Same as your attacker."

"Did you get her name?"

"No, but I did get a clear identity from her. Both of our ambushers are obviously sent from Vileus if their goal was to get their hands on my amulet. But what surprises me was that her appearance was humanoid—

"Both of them were." Gareki cut in. He had an image of the boy he fought hours ago.

"Exactly." He agreed. "Usually there are monsters sent after me. I didn't expect them to look. . .like us. Let alone find me. I had originally thought that the henchman he sent after me wouldn't be able to track me down because we're underground. But I take that back now."

Gareki averted his eyes up to the stalactite sealing in thought as a few seconds of silence crossed them. He then spoke."I may not know this dark lord from your realm. But from what you told me sounds like he really wants his hands on that amulet. It doesn't surprise me he found us—you."

"The guy I was fighting last night obviously wanted us to part ways so he could distract me from getting to you. He wanted the amulet just as much as Vileus considering the way he fought. I'll admit it. . . he was strong."

Yogi shook his head as he remembered Gareki walking away from him to be alone. It was stupid now that he thought about it. He inwardly scolded himself for letting him go. Yogi crossed his arms over his chest."This is why I didn't want you walking off on your own. One of us could have ended up dead tonight." He accused.

Gareki glared at him, finding his tone of voice insulting as if he were blaming it all on him. "I'm _**aware**_ , Yogi. We managed to survive. Didn't we?"

"Yeah! With scrapes and bruises. And if you haven't noticed, you're nearly covered in bandages from a rock penetrating through your stomach!"

Gareki rolled his eyes. "So what's your point?"

Yogi gave him a hard look. "I'm saying you need to stick by me so I can protect you."

Gareki clenched the couch harder after hearing that."Wait a damn minute. _ **I don't** _ need your protection! For what it's worth, _**you're** _ the one who needs protecting."

"Says the guy whose covered in bandages and needs bed wrest to heal." Yogi retorted.

The air around them grew thick with frigid air. The cave walls suddenly emitted frost.

Yogi averted his eyes around the room, noticing it before staring back at Gareki. "You need to stop that." He demanded.

"Stop what?" Gareki played dumb just to be an annoying jackass. His glare deepened.

Yogi hugged himself as gooseflesh rose up on his arms. He gave him an irritated look. "The thing that you're doing where it suddenly gets cold once you're angry."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're really stubborn you know that?"

Gareki lifted an eyebrow. "I find that the best aspect about myself." His tail slowly flicked.

Yogi opened his mouth but bit his tongue instead. He caught himself about to agree. At times he did like his stubborn attitude but this wasn't one of those times. "Does it really have to be this way between us, right when we just got ambushed?"

"I don't know." Gareki shrugged,"Does it?"

Yogi sighed and spoke lightly with less force. "Gareki, I'm only trying to protect you."

"What if I told you again I don't need protection from you and what you were saying to me was an insult to what my abilities can actually do? I'm not some weak, pathetic person."

"I didn't say that—

" Technically you did. " Gareki interjected. His intense stare hindering Yogi silent.

After a few seconds of silence Yogi opened his mouth to say something else but paused. His expression softened. He slowly dropped his shoulders and sighed lightly. "You're right. This whole conversation turned hectic. I'm just on edge because my ambusher was strong and she nearly took what's important to me away. And on top of that, you almost died."

"Yeah, but I'm here and alive so you can relax." Gareki waved a hand, dismissing the frigid air and frost.

"Sorry. Here I am arguing with you and you're hurt. You're in no shape for this."

Gareki stared at him. Not bothering to accept his apology. He turned away instead eyed the bandages around his mid section."

"I'll be fine soon enough, then we can talk about what's more important instead of arguing our assess off." He shuffled upwards in a sitting position with slight difficulty. "I'm not about to wait and be healed. I'm doing this my damn self."

Yogi looked up at him and furrowed his brows. "What are about to do?" He came closer. Closing up the distance between them causing the muscles on Gareki's shoulders to tense up.

Both of them paused. Yogi saw his jaw flex before his blue-grey eyes turned to his face. A serious expression stared back at him.

"You still need to keep your distance from me. I'm still on edge." His voice sounded forced as if he were really trying to push him away.

Yogi reluctantly retreated. "Okay. But what are you about to do?" He asked again.

Gareki lifted both his hands in front of his face, forming a hand symbol that looked difficult in Yogi's opinion. He closed his eyes. His mouth moved, speaking in a foreign language he couldn't assess.

Slowly his tattoos glowed purple and gradually spread down his arms, stomach, back, neck and face. He opened his eyes. They were glowing purple as well but they looked unfocused as if he couldn't actually see what was in front of him.

"Gareki," he asked slowly. But he didn't respond or budge. He kept speaking in an unfamiliar tongue.

Yogi decided not to disturb him anymore. Thinking whatever he was doing needed concentration.

He waited and watched. Eyes trailing down to the wrapped bandages around his stomach. He heard this slight burning sound. As if skin were being singed.

Frowning he reached forward towards them but stopped as footsteps echoed against the sealing. He looked up only to see Jiki coming around the corner.

He was carrying long sticks of weeds. His eyes looked at Yogi before averting to Gareki. He stopped in his walk and gave the Avatar an odd look.

He raised a finger towards him he then opened his mouth about to speak but Yogi beat him to it.

"He's healing himself. . .I think."

He nodded and continued over to his desk. "It would have saved me a lot more time if he'd just healed himself the last time he was here then for me to just go out for medicine."

"Last time I was unconscious. I can't heal myself in my sleep

Plus my soul needed to be restored meaning my magic was low. I can't heal myself if I can barely feel my own magical pulse to use it."

Both of them turned to Gareki. His tattoos had gone back to their natural length and color. His eyes turned blue-grey again.

"How long have you been doing that?" Jiki asked, taking off his glasses.

"A few minutes. Doesn't take long." He ripped off the bandages revealing no signs of bruised or red skin where the shard of rock had been. Not even a wide open hole remained.

"Theirs no markings or ruined skin?" Jiki walked over and examined him.

Yogi watched as Gareki ran a slow hand up his abs before answering, "No."

Jiki smirked as he walked back over to his desk, picked up a cloth and began wiping the lenses on his glasses. "Then I consider you lucky. This is the second time you almost died from rocks penetrating your body. Let's not even talk about the point where you lost so much blood that we both thought you wouldn't open your eyes again."

Gareki shrugged. "Guess I gave you both one hell of a scare."

"This is serious, Gareki. Like I said before you honestly could have died tonight." Yogi insisted.

He looked at him."Yeah and I understand that but what's important is that I didn't. We already argued about this."

"How did this ambush even begin with you two?" Jiki asked, deciding to change the subject because of the tension between them.

Gareki turned his attention to him."We're being tracked down by a dark lord's henchman so they can steal Yogi's amulet."

Yogi turned to Jiki and added,"They found me. Some how."

Jiki paused. "This wouldn't happen to be that same dark lord Vileus you told me about last time would it, Yogi?"

"It is. I'm thankful we haven't encountered any of his henchmen up to this point. It gave me a break."

"So how are you two planning on finding Pastel with his henchman tracking every move you make?"

Gareki creased his eyebrows and gave Yogi a questioning look.

"I already explained to him that Pastel had been taken." He informed. Gareki turned back to Jiki. "I'm obviously going to fight them if they come back. We've come too damn far to let some henchman kill us for the sake of an amulet."

Jiki placed his glasses back onto his face."I knew you'd say something like that." He looked at Yogi. "What about you?"

Yogi looked down at his amulet. He reached up and touched it with his finger tips. "I told myself I'd protect this so that's definitely what I'm going to do."

"I'm sure you will. But for now you two need to wrest. It's midnight and hearing all about you two being ambushed has put me on defense for both of you. You can sleep here tonight."

Yogi shook his head with surprise. "Wow, thank you for everything."

"Don't mention it just think of this being a thank you for helping Pastel. But do me a favor and get that cat back. He's probably scared out of his wits right now."

Yogi smiled."Most definitely."

"We don't have a choice. He is our only ticket out of here." Gareki pointed out causing Jiki to give him another odd look.

"Both of them don't really have a fondness for one another." Yogi explained, giving Gareki a one sided glance as if to say :Did you really have to put it that way?

But he just ignored him.

"That seemed obvious," Jiki said."Doesn't really seem like your personality would match well with his."

"Ain't that the truth." Gareki muttered. "But anyway, me and you, Yogi need to figure out some thing's."

Yogi gave him a confused expression. "What things?"

"I'll leave you two to it." Jiki turned and walked down a tunnel which must've been where the bed courters were.

He stopped mid way and turned towards them again. "By the way Gareki, I'll lend you some new clothing tomorrow. "

"Thanks." He offered.

They both watched as he left and as soon as he was out of sight they both looked at each other.

"What things?" Yogi repeated.

"Our ambushers. Just like they're tracking our every move we need to do the same."

"We should watch where we go?"

"I'm saying we should watch _**everything**_. We need to be on guard consistently. We already know how strong they are and they could easily kill us if we don't watch out."

Yogi stared at him. He could sense there was something else he wanted to say. "So your point is. . .?"

"I'm staying up to keep an eye out. Just because we're concealed in a cave doesn't mean we're not being tracked down right this minute."

Yogi crossed his arms. "I can't allow you to do that Gareki. Plus the guy you faught is dead. We only have to worry about one—

"He isn't dead. He spoke to me before he disintegrated. He's still coming after you and he really wants to get me out of the picture in order to make that happen."

Yogi shook his head. "I can't. I can't ask you to do this or allow you to."

"Why?"

"Because it's my fault they're here. They're after me and I brought them here in your realm. I feel like I'm the one who needs to keep watch."

Gareki stared at him, his eyes trailed down to his injured arm. His eyes squinted as they turned purple for a quick 2 seconds before changing back. "Not with a bruised arm like that you're not."

Yogi's eyebrows creased he then looked down at his bandaged arm. Frowning he asked,"How did you know it was bruised?" He looked up at him again.

With a curl of his tail he pointed to his eyes with a finger. "I can see any injury with my sight." He dropped his hand. "You can't possibly expect yourself to perform well in a fight with only one good arm. Do you? Especially with two strong opponents."

"I can manage." Yogi persisted with a deep voice.

Gareki found his red hoodie hanging over the top part of the couch and shrugged it on. "You're going to get yourself kill and then you won't be able to save your kingdom like you're so determined to do." He sat up strait and gave the blonde an stern look in his eyes.

"Now, you can either risk your life or you could let me keep watch while you wrest that injured arm of yours during your sleep. Keep in mind I'm completely healed to fight, even against two people."

Yogi pursed his lips feeling completely compelled to go with his idea. A few minutes passed before he reluctantly agreed.

Gareki slowly nodded. "Good, get some sleep."

Yogi sighed lightly as he watched him get up from the couch, his glaive appearing in his hand. He walked past him but before he could get far Yogi reached out and grabbed his wrist.

Gareki instantly stopped. He felt his warm hand gingerly ghost up the length of his bare arm before coming to his shoulder. Holding it. The next thing sent him on edge causing his body to tense.

His eyes widened as he felt Yogi's presence standing right behind him. He was close. Way too close. He wanted to push him away. But his body didn't respond to what he demanded.

He held his breath as his voice breathed close to his left ear. "Just be careful, please. . . .I really can't lose you, Gareki."

A moment passed with both of them staying silent. Gareki thinking about the words he just said. They were echoing in his brain. For a second he thought he miss heard him but that was only an excuse.

He knew he heard him. That was why his heart was thudding against his chest. Finally he told himself to get a grip and to stop acting soft and weak. He placed his glaive onto the couch.

Turning to Yogi, their lips were almost connected. Freezing for a split second he placed both hands on his shoulders before leaning over and sunk his fangs into his neck causing him to gasp softly. He didn't pull away though.

Gareki could sense his enjoyment and still didn't understand how this was so pleasurable. After a few seconds passed he pulled away, not bothering to lick away the access blood from the two small holes. A trail of red leaked down his neck.

He trailed a thumb over his lips. Wiping away the extra blood before looking up at Yogi's dazed expression. He looked as if he were in a trance.

"You won't lose me," he said quietly. Backing away, giving him one last look before grabbing his weapon and headed outside.


	13. Tracking

Google Search For Gareki's shirt: Slim High Neck Shawl Muffler Men

Just if you're confused of what it looks like. When you see the picture it should be looking like it's a baggy turtle neck in the color of all black. Just imagine it's sleeveless since it's long sleeved.

I can't put the link because fan fiction won't allow it. But hopefully you can find it and see the appearance yourself.

* * *

Yogi snapped his eyes open after feeling a hard cold smack on his cheek.

He felt a hand fisting his shirt, yanking him upwards.

His eyes darted up to see Gareki's face. A miffed expression stared back at him. He was yelling something he couldn't quite hear.

He stared at him. His mind and senses still being half asleep. He'd been dreaming about his sisters. Another memory he'd missed of them being in the court yard garden of roses. For the last couple of nights he recalled nightmares and happy dreams of them both.

But he figured the dreams were currently happening because he missed them terribly. Not a day went by without a single thought of their faces picturing themselves in his conscience.

He continued to ogle Gareki with a dumb founded mien. _What is he saying?_

Before he could close his eyes again to be reunited with his dream another smack was brought across his face and suddenly he could hear everything.

Gareki shoved him back onto the couch as he stood up strait. "Get the fuck up! We need to leave!" He had said it angrily.

He turned and began immediately undressing.

Yogi stared at him confused. Why did they need to leave? His mind was still in the gutter and his body felt light like the gravity had been lifted away a notch. Was he still dreaming?

He watched Gareki catch a clean pair of charcoal grey baggy- skinny jeans with ripped detailing on the knee caps from Jiki who was briskly walking past the couch with new clothing for him to put on. "Here." He offered, placing his clothing on the arm of the couch quickly.

Gareki yanked the jeans on and zipped his fly before pulling a black soft fabric slim high neck shawl muffler over his neck and down his stomach. He quickly thrust his arms through the arm holes. The shirt was sleeveless so it revealed his black tattoos on his upper arms.

Yogi noticed it made his chest look more leaner then the previous shirt he's been wearing. The shirt itself had a ruffle effect. Making it appear like a small scarf was around his neck.

The last thing he pulled on were black Dr. Marten Newton boots. He tied them both quickly before gripping his glaive with both of his black fingerless gloved hands.

His smokey blue eyes averted to Yogi and his irritated look increased.

" For Christ's sake, do you want to get your ass killed?!" He walked over and pulled him from the couch. "Snap back to reality and wake the hell up, or else I will leave you here to die."

That snapped him right out of his slumberous senses. Yogi stood up strait."Okay, I'm awake! What the heck is happening?"

"They found you." Jiki interjected sternly. The shadows on his face making his facial features a mimic of his voice. He had a dark purple aura fogging over his hands. "Right now I'm performing an allusion spell. It'll give you two time to escape. Follow me."

As soon as he said that a loud explosion vibrated against the entire cave.

Yogi stumbled to the ground. Gareki's back slammed against the cave wall. And Jiki hit the back of the couch ending up on the floor.

The sound of rocks clanking to the ground was heard all over.

Yogi felt small debris fall on his arms. Opening his eyes he saw the whole sealing cracked. Confusion laced with an urge of panic. He looked over to where Gareki and Jiki were sprawled on the ground.

Gareki groaned to his feet and helped Jiki up. "We need to move. Show us the way." He ordered. Jiki nodded and led them onward through the tunnels. Yogi pushed himself up and followed after Gareki.

All of them running as the cave sealing crackled in protest. It was all caving in. In a matter of minutes it would all be tumbling down on top of them. _**If**_ they didn't make it.

"How did they find us?" Yogi asked. Picking up his fast pace with them both. He heard crashing from behind, it sounded close but he didn't dare turn around.

"You." Gareki corrected. "I don't know. I was watching the perimeter and suddenly they appeared out of no where. I held them back with a wall of ice but by now they definitely broke through it."

He dodged aside from a stalactite falling from the sealing. For some one who had just been injured a few hours ago he moved swiftly with ease. His healing spell must've been really effective.

But despite that, Yogi gave him a glance to insure he was alright before looking up at the roof that was coming down more rapidly. It made loud impacts with the ground. He could feel the vibrations through the souls of his boots.

"Jiki, how long will it take to get to the exit?!"

"Just a bit further! But for now, we're going to have to protect ourselves from getting hit by any of these falling rocks."

"No shit, obviously." Gareki swung his glaive through thin air causing a blue wave to leave his glowing blade. It speedily cut into an upcoming rock splitting it in half. Both pieces falling right towards them but on opposite sides, they both hit the two opposite walls, missing them by a distance.

Yogi covered his eyes with a raised arm to block away the rock dust . After a few seconds to make sure it was clear he unblocked them but when he opened his eyes he saw a sharp stalactite falling right above him. Too fast to even use his magic to stop it in some way.

Next thing he knew arms wrapped around him and body weight was shoving his own aside. He caught a glimpse of Gareki's face but then they were rolling on the ground and he lost sight of him.

They rolled quickly finally coming to a stop against the cave wall. Everything spun when he opened his eyes again. He was laying on his back trying to catch his breath from running so fast. His heart pounding against his rib cage from the shock of almost being killed and the sprint he just ran.

Looking down on his chest he saw Gareki pushing himself up on all fours, on top of him. Panting just as hard as he was. Black hair falling away from his forehead. His slit eyes stared at him as he breathed through parted full lips.

An unreadable facial expression on his face.

Suddenly the expressionless look turned back into an irritated one. "You're going to die next time you don't keep your eyes open during something as dangerous as this. Word of advice, keep your damn senses on guard. This is the last time I'll say this to you. Let's go."

Yogi gave him a surprised look. That had been harsh. Had he really found it necessary to speak to him like that?

Gareki grabbed his hand and dragged him to his feet and they began running again. Just in time before rocks fell on them.

Yogi stared at Gareki's hand that was grabbing his wrist. Giving it a funny look. His eyebrows creased into confusion.

Something was off. Yogi looked at his hand in Gareki's grasp. It felt. . .odd. Out of place. Not right was more specific. He couldn't put his finger on what was causing it to feel this way but he just had this overwhelming sensation something wasn't right.

He couldn't feel his magical pulse. That chilling surge he would always experience when their hands connected. Or at least some kind of physical contact with one another.

Before he could speculate, the thought itself was lost once Gareki let go of his wrist to quickly summon his glaive again. He swung it upwards creating a strong wind that flew towards a rock causing it to redirect it's landing and up hurl over their heads. It landed behind them instead.

Jiki threw a flurry of darting sparks at more upcoming rocks. They all shattered. None of them making it through to touch the ground or land on any 3 of them.

Gareki swung his glaive from left to right, making a strong winter wind blow more falling rocks away. Some of them smashed to smaller pieces from the hard impact against the cave walls. Those pieces cascaded to the ground.

Yogi kept up with him from behind. His guard up on the ready for anything else that would be falling.

Jiki led them further—deeper, into the tunnels. The walls were wide spread, making it easy for all of them to keep a good pace to maneuver and to head to the exit of the cave quicker before it all collapsed. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest from the adrenaline.

He never would've imagined a scenario like this occurring. Even through all the crazy, mind blowing and heart throbbing shit he'd been through. Everything suddenly felt surreal. He admitted he felt like he was still dreaming or maybe was in a nightmare. Either way, he just wanted to be safe again.

But after realizing he'd never been safe in this world he back tracked and now just wanted to be out of harms way.

He was asking for a lot. Especially since the prized possession was hanging from his neck that only attracted evil.

They all took a sharp turn to the right instructed by Jiki's guidance and there strait ahead was a tunnel that looked as if it led to higher ground.

They all came to a halt as the warlock stopped running.

"This is it." He informed. Turning to them he continued. "This is where we part. This is not my fight it is yours. With that said, I have to stay here and hold back this destruction. I've done all I can for you."

Yogi gave him a look as if he were crazy to stay here when an avalanche of rocks were coming down. While Gareki looked stoic, shoulders holding tension and hand clutched to his weapon at his side. So taut he thought he would break his glaive in half.

Yogi placed a hand on the warlock's shoulder."No, you need— you _**have**_ to come with us. You're going to die if—

"My place is here,Yogi. Rather I die or live. It's my choice."

With a stern stare Yogi opened his mouth to persist but Gareki interrupted him.

"Yogi, we don't have the time. In case it isn't clear to you, this place is going to kill us both unless we get moving. _**Now.**_ " the last word was clearly spoken through clenched fangs. Yogi noted that even with out looking at him.

Taken aback, he turned and eyed Gareki.

Was he serious? How could he be so harsh all of a sudden? Then again he was acting this way last night, too. Things had definitely gone on the more heated side between them or should he say, more cold?

Gareki's frost on the walls last night gave him that observation.

But then he figured of course Gareki still hadn't forgiven himself for having that blood thirst attack that had escalated to violation.

That obviously was the cause of his attitude. He'd been acting more agitated ever since that occurrence yesterday. He wondered for a fleeting second time if Gareki would ever forgive himself even though he said he wouldn't. He could change his mind. Eventually anyway.

 _He was upset about assaulting me because that had happened to him at some point in his life time and that experience had scarred him mentally. And I doubt it had been Karoku who made him this way. I have a hunch the damage was done in his past. Since that had been such a terrible experience that had been done to him, he was upset because he'd done the same thing to me. That has to be why he can't forgive himself. He cares about me._

He subconsciously frowned. Had he figured out what was bothering his companion with only observatory clues? He didn't know if he was right or not. He was just piecing what seemed obvious together. Guessing. But Gareki still had yet to tell him what happened.

"Leave me. Just go strait ahead through that tunnel. You should end up some where in the area you two were in last night." Jiki ordered, pulling him out of his thoughts. Yogi disregarded Gareki's glower and turned to look at the man in front of him.

He didn't have a hint of regret or cowardice in his eyes. They both stared at him solemnly. All around them the echoing of rocks hitting the ground continued, thunderously. It sounded closer than it had been a few seconds ago. It snapped him out of his daze.

He nodded, dropped his hands away from his shoulders, returning them to his sides as he took a step back from him. Finally relenting. If this was what he wanted then he wouldn't stand in his way. "Okay. Thank you, for everything."

Gareki gave him a light shove with a cold hand on his warm shoulder. "Go." He urged. With one last glance at the warlock.

They both ran towards the hole. It was big enough for both of them to run side by side.

Yogi heard the avalanche closing in from the cave walls on either side of them. Debris and pebbles fell mimicking droplets of rain. It wouldn't be long before the entire cave would be coming down. Gareki had gained a few feet in front of him.

Even though he himself had started running first, Gareki's stamina was built to endure quicker speeds than his own. It was hard to keep up with him but he managed to keep the gap between them 3 feet long. Not too far behind.

He debated if he should turn around but didn't want to see if Jiki had been harmed. Finally he decided to just look. He turned his head and saw him forming a large purple shield.

Both of his arms outstretched.

Boulders were slamming against it, all piling up on one another. So far he was okay but what would become of him once they left? Could he really handle the sealing caving in all at once?

"Yogi."

He turned back around and saw Gareki urging him to come on with a wave of his hand. He was already in the hole. He turned and walked further inside, his tail trailing behind him.

Yogi hurried over, ducking forward so he could move through the entrance of the smaller tunnel as well. He didn't turn back around but in mind he hoped Jiki would be okay.

He watched Gareki's butt as they maneuvered through the tunnel, slouched over almost in a kneel. His dark blue tail moving in slow big waves, up and down, almost lashing him in the nose. The soft hairs on the tip nearly making him sneeze.

"What's our plan?" Yogi said, trying to look any where else but at his ass. But after a flash of seeing him naked in the waterfall he instantly eyed his shoes instead. Ridding the picture from his mind.

"We fight the living shit out of them until they're dead and then we continue with our hunt for the runes." Gareki answered.

"I'm not so sure about that plan. At least the first part."

From his vintage point he saw Gareki's eyes turn into a glare. "You're not sure about anything that's risky. If we don't kill them now then it'll be us. You do understand that, right?"

From behind there was a loud rumble as the cave sealing toppled down. But the tunnel they were currently inside of stayed intact.

Yogi took a glance behind and only saw rock powder from the debris. Instantly, he thought about Jiki. He turned back around and continued after Gareki. "I do understand that. But don't you think we should test their movements? It could help us fight them better."

"You can do that, but I'm sticking to my own instincts. Are you afraid or are you just questioning this fight because your arm is still injured?"

Yogi looked down at his bandaged arm. The bruise didn't hurt as it had last night. In fact it felt better but with only a dull ache.

"I'm not afraid of anything."

Gareki placed a hand on the cave wall to steady himself after he stepped on a crooked stone that he hadn't caught the side of. He then continued walking.

"That's the type of shit from you I'd love to hear but is what you're saying genuine?"

"I have to fight along side you. Your protection is my main priority here. And no, I'm not calling you inferior. I know your abilities are fully capable of defending you. Just remember what I said last night. Can you do that for me?"

Gareki inwardly paused. From the outside it appeared he was blank and stoic as ever but from the inside he felt as if he were going to blush with uneasiness. If that genetic were physically possible. Technically with his cold body temperature it wasn't capable for him to blush. But inwardly he felt that if he could, then it would be there.

Noticing his weakness he stabbed the feeling away. He was trying to get rid of emotions why lead them on so they could stay?

"You're not going to lose me and the same goes for you. You better remember what I said last night." He countered.

Yogi couldn't help but feel a smile pulling at the corner's of his lips. "Along the lines of staying on guard, I can handle it."

Gareki gave him a side glance and saw that he was smiling. He turned back around and unconsciously pursed his lips.

With that look, he knew that Yogi was telling the truth.

He continued forward. Leading him through the tunnel until it began to hollow out and in a matter of walking they both could soon stand up from their crouch. The sealing had grown taller, a few inches over their heads so it wasn't too high.

Light casted over their faces as the tunnel reached it's periphery. The echoing of their shoes tapping against the cave walls.

The outer world was dark though and Yogi began to wonder how long had he been sleeping. Apparently not that long if it were still dawn.

He had initially thought that the sun would've at least reached it's zenith by now.

 _The saying is true. Sleeping does feel like time travel._

Gareki walked ahead of him. Glaive still in hand as he glared at his surroundings. He stopped and seemed like he was waiting for something.

Yogi walked over. Stopping next to him. "Do you think this looks familiar?"

Gareki glared at the ground. The muscles on his arms tensing up all over again. Yogi looked away from the large holes in the dome shaped sealing of Lim Fay and instead eyed Gareki.

He lifted an eyebrow in confusion and slowly placed a hand on his shoulder. "Gare—

The Avatar flinched away from his touch and turned his glare onto him.

" Are you. . .okay?" He finished.

Yogi looked him in the eyes even though they were intensely scowling at his own. The slits in his iriss' were widened just a portion from their actual size.

Gareki turned towards a pathway. Shoulders tense and a cold aura radiating off his body. His hand gripped his glaive tightly once more and the blade began to glow a light blue.

His short human-like elf ears twitched. He stared hard through the long strands of black hair in front of his eyes. He stood on defense.

"I can sense them. I knew something wasn't right the moment I stepped out here." He muttered.

With that said Yogi immediately went rigid. They were here? As in the Vileus's henchman.

He took a step toward Gareki but instantly jumped back as something dark and human sized collided with the ground right at his feet.

He nearly yelped but what he saw had him speechless. Jiki lay dead. It looked like he had been tortured to the maximum. Blood colored his face black. Skin was unrecognizably tarnished. Clothes were blooded and ripped. Some of the skin that was revealed looked like it had been burnt by something long, as if it had wrapped around him like a snake.

He stared, feeling as though the marks were sparking up some clues to who had done this.

Gareki turned his head and looked down. Seeing the monstrosity. "Well, shit." He seethed through clenched fangs.

Yogi breathed steadily from his nose. Feeling as if he forgot how to breathe properly. Jiki was dead. Was this real? But he was just fine. This couldn't be real.

But it was.

"Yogi?!" Gareki yelled his name for the third time catching him out of his panicky thoughts. He jerked his head up, looking at him wide eyed.

"Stop looking and be on guard. They're here."Gareki turned away from him, glancing at his surroundings carefully. "Some where."

His voice had a deep undertone causing him to tense up. He quickly gripped his sword not wanting to get Gareki even more pissed off then he already was. He held it in front of him.

Handle down low blade up high. He stood on self defense.

He remembered the women he fought last night. She had been strong but he hadn't expected her and that boy, Gareki was fighting, to be this strong and ruthless.

Jiki was a warlock. His magic had to be powerful. But if he had died by their hands then he could imagine what these two opponents would do to Gareki and himself no matter how strong their own magic was. _Would this be the day that I die?_ He couldn't help but ponder.

Suddenly hushed whispers filled the quiet atmosphere around them and he knew _**she**_ was here. The wind picked up, lacing through the strands of blonde hair on his head.

The wind was blowing from his west side. He turned and saw her. The girl. She appeared 19 years of age.

Dark long blue hair nearly black held in a high ponytail. Black eyeliner lined her lashes and water line. Velvet thin lips pulled into a smirk. Black leather clothing hugged her curves as she stood on heeled ankle-high boots.

She had a black whip in her hand, wrapped up.

Now he knew. He understood. Those burnt markings on Jiki had been from her. Luckily last night she hadn't used it in their fight but he had seen it hanging from her hip.

She placed a slender hand on her waist. All her fingers sporting a silver ring.

Gareki turned and scowled at her, sensing that she was trouble. It was then another evil presence made itself known. He turned his head to see the boy he'd been fighting last night.

His red eyes staring at his blue-grey ones intensely. Yogi spared a glance in his direction to get a clear identity of him.

He resembled the girl with all his features except his broad shoulders and toned chest and stomach all being indentations from his tight leather black jacket. He had muscle but they were medium sized, resembling Gareki's.

Speaking of Gareki they both were the same height. But the boy had a slightly bigger build.

The boy walked over to the girl. Gareki eyeing him with a death glare the entire way their and the boy did the same.

Now that he was standing by the girl, their faces appeared more similar. They were related, apparently.

"Well, well, well. Looks like we found our target again brother. Shall I do the honor disposing of his little black haired friend?" Asked the girl.

Gareki's slit eyes averted to her smirking face. "You're not disposing shit. It's the other way around." He snapped deeply.

She blew out a short laugh from her nose. Placing a few fingers over her lips as she giggled. "That's right. Give me all bite and no play. I love it when my pray has a cutting edge attitude. So much more exciting." She spoke nonchalantly.

He gripped his glaive, eyes glowing brightly blue. " _ **Don't**_ try me. My patience only runs so high."

She pulled her fingers away from her mouth and continued to smirk, but there was something more dangerous to it then before. "I wonder what will happen once I make you tick?"

Gareki didn't respond. He was too busy trying to calculate her intentions. It was obvious she was an enemy and what her motives were. But her demeanor was off. She may have had a light hearted darkness to her but he believed that even the most innocent could be secretly the most dangerous.

She wasn't showing off her real side. She seemed fake right now.

"By the way, I hope you like our gift for the both of you." She pointed a dark purple- nailed- finger at Jiki.

The boy crossed his arms."Think of it as an exchange. In order to save your pathetic lives, hand over the amulet and maybe there won't have to be any blood shed."

"Fuck no!" Gareki yelled angrily. He pointed at Jiki's corps. "You call this a damn gift?! You think you can threaten us with our lives? Well guess what, I nearly died so many times that I can't even keep track. I'm not afraid of death(anymore), so kiss my fuckin ass!"

The boy sighed. "Still making things difficult. I have to admit I am impressed by your will power, but even that won't be enough to prove your strength against me."

"You might as well hand it over to my brother Zeek now or else you two will end up like this warlock. Dead, despite your fears or not." His sister said.

Gareki's ear twitched at the revelation of the boy's name. So it was Zeek.

"Oh and just so you know my names Zaphora. Now that that's out of the way, we can get down to business. She unraveled her whip and smacked it to the Earth with a satisfying snap. Her red eyes flickered to Yogi" Hand over the amulet blondy."

Yogi tightened his hold on his sword. "Not a chance."

Gareki clenched his jaw and growled. "If you get near him it won't end well for either of you." He warned.

"Let's see if you can prove that threat. You're my opponent, Avatar," said Zeek. His hands down at his sides sparked with red and black electricity.

Gareki glanced at Yogi to see his decision on the matter. He gave a single nod and Gareki faced Zeek again. He took a few steps toward him before stopping.

"Fine, me and you have some unfinished business and this time, I'll make sure your ass is dead."


	14. Opponents

Yogi peered strait forward at his enemy/ opponent.

Eyeing her up and down slowly as she walked clockwise in his direction in which he moved clockwise as well. Adding the distance between them that she seemed to have wanted to close up.

Zaphora smirked and with a crack of her whip against the ground she asked,"Why are you moving away from me? Don't be afraid." Her voice was taunting him.

 _She's toying with me._ Yogi confirmed inwardly. He didn't respond but continued to eye her.

She walked gracefully with purpose. She was definitely confident with herself. He wasn't surprised. Often anyone would be cocky if they had power. She was strong and she knew it.

And within his mind, he knew she was too. He didn't even have to wonder what maximum abilities she had. Even if it was just an ambush last night, he knew even if his self defence had been up then she would still have easily taken him down.

Despite knowing this he still had unwavering protection over the amulet that was rightfully his. If it came to it then he'd lay down his life in order to keep it away from getting into the wrong hands.

"Vileus has told us so much about you." She spoke up.

He couldn't help but to have let that statement peak his curiosity.

"What did he tell you?" He asked seriously.

She grinned while clasping her hands behind her back all the while continuing to walk clockwise in his direction. "Oh just the basics of how it was so easy to steal half the amulet from you and over take your kingdom along with ruling over the innocent citizens who reside there. Although it's too bad he couldn't take the wrest from you. The dark realm's transition isn't finished yet with your kingdom. But soon it will be once me and Zeek return with the other half."

"You're not coming anywhere near my amulet." He warned dangerously.

Her grin turned into a slick smirk once more. "Is that so?"

Yogi gave a glance at her whip before looking her in the eyes again. They were so deceiving and depraved. This fight was going to be a tough one and not because she was strong.

She possibly had the same dark and twisted abilities as Vileus.

"I swore to my family and kingdom I would protect them with safety from this amulet. What makes you think I'd let you grab it with ease?"

"Oh I don't expect you too. You see, I expect a fight from you. If I were to get my hands on that amulet I at least want a challenge. You may only have half of the crest but you still have so much pent up power inside of you. Even your little friend over their."

She tilted her head towards Gareki who was already fighting Zeek and they were really going at it. Almost to the point of being ruthless. Punches were thrown, cuts were made, and spells were casted. They were both fast too.

Both of them almost being too similar with their fighting techniques. Yogi averted back to Zaphora. "So what? You can sense what power level we have?"

"That's exactly right. But I can also sense a restriction. Not only from the fact that your magical pulse being transformed into something new and ultimately stronger then your initial magical power over the sun, but that something is holding it back from being used that unites you with your Avatar friend."

Yogi creased his eyebrows in suspicion. Was she saying that his magic over fire was being held back because it was new? That made sense. He still needed to learn how to wield it like he did with his previous spells with the sun so that was understandable.

On another note. _How did she know about Gareki combining with me? Unless she could sense that too._

But speaking about combing made him realize she'd just mentioned them not being able to do it. "Something was holding them back," she had said. What could that be?

 _Don't trust her. She's the enemy filling your head with lies_. Spoke his inner thoughts before he could ponder on it longer. Squinting his eyes at her in distrust he decided to change the subject.

Although the question that came to mind made him hesitate to know the answer. But how else was he going to know if he didn't ask.

He stopped walking and surprisingly she stopped as well. Standing directly across from him with her arms down at her sides. She waited as if she anticipated his question.

"My sisters. . .are they still alive? Be honest with me." The words were spoken as firmly as possible. He swallowed hard, finding it difficult to think just for a split second of them being dead.

Zaphora's smirk turned into a small smile. "They're alive, but aren't living the best. Vileus keeps them alive because they remind him of you. He thinks of them of how you would look if you suffered without the sun's rays to keep you alive. They're his servants in the dark realm. Normally held up in a cell."

He extracted the tight grip he held his sword handle with. But only slightly. He recalled Gareki's advice of staying guarded at all times.

He was stunned by the news that they were alive. Deep down he thought for sure Vileus would've killed them as soon as he got the chance. He had been praying everyday that the dark lord wouldn't lay a finger on them. His prayers had been answered, thankfully.

He wasn't happy about them being used as servants but at least they were breathing. How ever long that would be.

"Is he requiring them the right amount of sunlight? This is the 12th day I've been here in this realm which means a total of 6 days have gone by there. They would be dead by now without the sun. So Vileus must be giving them some UV radiation."

"Correct you are. He allows them 20 minutes of sunlight every other day. That's all."

"That's all?" He repeated. Voice sounding incredulous. His lips parted as he stared at her as if she were crazy.

That wasn't enough.

She nodded. "It'll keep them alive but they are weak. Definitely not healthy for a Rimahakkian. They'll probably die off soon."

Yogi felt a raging heat flood through the veins in his hands as soon as those last words crossed her lips. He threw a fire ball at her but like he expected, she was quick on her feet and dodged it easily before swiftly sprinting in his direction. A knee was delivered to his ribs sending him sprawling to the ground.

His back made contact with the Earth. A grunt escaped his throat as he hugged his stomach with the arm that wasn't occupied with holding his sword.

His face scrunched up as he felt the pain in his abs. It raced up to his ribs where the aching was most heightened. He glared up at Zaphora who placed a hand on her hip, coming to a stop a few inches away from his shoulder.

"We can finally stop this chit-chat and get on with fighting. You should know that that was a dumb attack, by the way."

"Those words you said were dumb." He accused hotly.

She gave him a shrug." It was the truth."

It was the truth, but still.

"I will save them along with every citizen in my kingdom."

Her hand gripped the handle of her whip. "Maybe you will or maybe you won't. But let me warn you that every person that lived in the Sun Kingdom has been turned into trolls."

"Having that said I wonder how you'll pull off saving your kingdom when everyone you care for will try and kill you?You're one man against an army.

He breathed steadily from his nose to try and lesson the pain. Of course he knew everyone from his kingdom besides his sisters had been turned into trolls but he hadn't come to the most obvious conclusion that they'd fight him. "I'll find a way. Don't underestimate me."

"You'll find away." She mocked," That is if you survive fighting me." Suddenly, her whip turned into a black sword. The blade shimmered in the dim lighting of dawn.

Yogi disregarded the pain in his chest and straitened in self defense. "I will defeat you. I don't plan on dying today."

She smirked wider before darting towards him, blade held in front of her body ready to stab him.

Yogi side stepped, barely missing the blade which earned him a fresh cut on his arm. It was small needless to say right on his bicep.

Zaphora passed him but after noticing his step away she twisted around and lashed out her sword, heading strait for his face.

He saw the sharp tip coming and quickly countered her sword with his own, knocking it off course from his nose. Both weapons made a sharp sound of medal against medal as they connected.

Zaphora grit her teeth, eyes burning into his own as she pushed her strength against his sword. Yogi did the same.

She was hard to push away but a little bit more force would help. He took a step forward and shoved his sword against hers harder, sending her back a step.

But she didn't stay put. She came right back but twice as hard.

Without warning her hand formed a fist and swiftly connected with his face, knocking it to the side before she spun, jumped, and did a high kick, adding that to his face as well.

His back hit the wall. His face felt like fire and numb itching. He tasted blood in the back of his throat and spat it out as it transitioned to his tongue.

Reaching up he wiped the remains of it from his lips and glared strait forward at his opponent.

One hand held her sword over her shoulder while the other planted itself on her hip. "Is that all you got, big boy? Where's all that anger I've been expecting? If this is as much of a fight you got in you then I might as well snatch the amulet if it'll be this easy. And to think I wanted a challenge from you."

In a blink of an eye she was standing right in front of him. Red eyes staring deeply into his own, glowing. Her hand slithered up his chest, inches from the crest.

Yogi stared at her as if he were in a trance but then he snapped back into reality and realized her actions. The anger he felt came surging right back. His hands brightened up orange as the sensation of flames made their presence known.

Instantly he gripped her wrist tautly as her fingers came close to touching the prized possession.

Her smirk faltered, leaving behind a flash of unease but that expression only lasted a second as pain crossed over her features from the burning he transferred to her wrist from his tight grip.

She screamed as it became more severe. She pulled back in a attempt to yank her arm away but Yogi just threw her aside. Replacing the grip back onto the handle of his sword before flames emitted from the blade.

He lunged for her. All he could see was the color red and it was demanding him to kill.

Zaphora pulled up her sword in front of her face and countered it once again with his. She pushed both sides to compete with his strength as their weapons pushed together.

She could sense the pulsing heat of his new magic coursing from his body like a heart beat reverberating in her ears. He was getting stronger by the second. But not if she could help it.

She brought up her foot and kicked him at the bottom of his chin but he didn't relent.

Pulling his sword back, Yogi made the plunge by throwing it down aiming it at her face. But Zaphora hastily summoned a shield with her outstretched hand. His blade connected with it.

The shield cracked slightly but not enough to provide him to stab her. Zaphora with her other hand swiped upwards with her blade and cut a small wound in his forearm causing him to jerk his sword away.

That was her opening. Discarding her shield she threw blasts at him, sending him back a few steps.

Yogi scowled at her as he fanned the growing purple smoke around him from her blast. The smoke didn't go away like he expected instead it grew thicker and fuller like fog.

She smirked jubiantly knowing it would be hard for him to see. She'd just take the amulet right off his neck without him being aware.

"Hurry up and take it, Zaphora!" Zeek yelled just as a burst of blue light hit him, slamming his body against the wall.

She averted to Gareki who was pointing his glaive in Zeek's direction from his kneeled position behind a broken section of the stone wall. The thick blade on his glaive was glowing as a blue mist swirled off of it. Apparently he had shot her brother down.

An instinct of protection over came her but then she paused. Zeek was strong, he could take care of himself.

She then regarded her own fight and jumped into the purple smoke. Once she did her eyes instantly adjusted to it. She could see but something was off.

She looked around for her opponent but didn't see him. She walked further in, keeping her sword at her side. A hand placed on the handle just incase she needed to defend herself.

Her opponent may have been weak at some points but he was still clever and to her that's all you needed in a fight. A brain that was good with making strategy.

Just then she heard a sound of a blade cutting into the Earth.

She furrowed her brows perplexedly just as a voice that belonged to her opponent spoke, "Thorn Kiste!"

A second passed before the ground rumbled beneath her feet and before she knew what was happening the wind had been knocked out of her by a strong force from behind. What ever it was slapped her hard, right out of the smoke and made her body hit the stone wall.

She fell to the ground, painfully pushing herself up on all fours. She snapped her head up as a flurry of vines over grew the smoke, fanning it all away revealing Yogi who had his sword in the ground.

She watched as he let go of the handle with one hand, holding it out in front of himself. As if on command, all the vines darted in her direction.

She hastily got to her feet and swung her sword at the flurry of vines surrounding her, cutting them up swiftly. Unluckily for her she was at a disadvantage. There were still many of them no matter how quick she was to cut them down.

Yogi pulled his hand into a fist causing the vines to twist around her and wrap her up tightly. He then threw his arm to the side and the vines followed his motion commands by throwing Zaphora's body in that requested direction.

She fell a distance away. A yelp escaped her as she collided with the dirt and grass again.

Yogi yanked his blade from the ground while dismissing his vines, letting them retreat back into the Earth, all the while he kept a close eye on her as she pushed herself up, slowly.

She had a long scratch on her arm. Blood dripped down from her hand. She must have cut herself during the fall. Her lips spoke a whisper of trailing profanities once her eyes met up with his.

"You can't protect that amulet forever. At some point, your guard is going to be down—"

"I won't allow it!" He snapped, holding his sword in front of his body. As if his angered voice was a trigger for fuel, the flames engulfing his blade grew bigger once he yelled."Everything I care about, you can not have it!"

He pulled up his sword like a bat and swung it down. The tip of the blade scratched the ground as a wave of fire flung free from it, right in her direction.

Zaphora dropped her sword and immediately formed a shield with both hands outstretched. The fire made a strong impact, shoving her back.

Her heels skidded against the ground, kicking up dirt. Her jaw clenched as it became increasingly hard to push against the flames. She added her entire weight against it but still the flames were relentless.

Finally she decided to give in. She jumped to the side dispersing her cover and watched as the flames hit the wall turning them to a burnt black.

She whipped her head around too late as Yogi threw flames at her.

It was fast. Reaching up to almost her own speed. She jerked back but not without getting singed on the arm. She grimaced after catching her footing.

The next thing that happened caught her by surprise. A rising vine coming up from behind provided her a distraction leaving her open and unguarded for the upcoming attack from Yogi who elbowed her in the face sending her flying to the side and fell smack to the floor again.

Yogi strengthened before squinting down at her stiff body. He took cautious steps over to her. But no sooner had he reached her her body materialized into black dust.

He quietly cursed as the instant realization of being played crossed his mind. He had stepped right into a trap.

He heard movement from behind and went to turn around only to hear,"Thought you got me didn't you?"

With those words said the real Zaphora whirled him around, jabbed him in the gut with a knee, punched him in the face and added a high kick with the back of her heel to his shoulder.

Yogi felt the stone wall touch his back again as his body slammed against it. He could feel every ache of pain on his body. He grabbed the shoulder she had kicked to ease some of the pain, but his own touch wasn't all that effective. His face ached as well as his stomach but he had to keep fighting.

This was the least thing that was painful other than loosing his kingdom. If this was all the pain he would get from her then he could take it.

Looking up he saw her running in his direction, her hands emitting two purple balls of her own dark magic.

 _I need to do something different. I need to end this. Now. I hope this will kill her or at least hold her off. Weaken her._

Reaching up he gripped his amulet. Just by a touch he felt an immense warmth flooding through his fingers. Letting go he thrust his glowing hand towards her and unleashed a bright golden light.

A burst of his sun magic left the palm of his hand and impacted her.

She tried to counter it with her own magic. But sunlight won over darkness. She lost and was thrown back.

He watched as her body slid hard against the ground from the strong impact. Finally she came to an abrupt stop.

He watched carefully to see movement from her. The only thing he could see was the rise and fall of her chest. She was still alive but unconscious.

He took a step in her direction but suddenly the air around him grew heated. He heard this zapping sound. But at the last minute he figured out what it was and instantly turned only to he struck with two bolts of red and black electricity.

Everything in his eyes went dark and blurry and misshapen. He could just barely feel his body fall onto the ground. His ears muffled out the shout of his own name edged with concern. He recognized the voice from Gareki.

His lips quivered trying to speak but his voice wasn't registering with his brain. He felt pins and needles stabbing away at his body. It was agonizingly painful. He wanted it all to stop.

But suddenly it did. A cold hand touched his shoulder taking it all away. . .


	15. Magical Pulses Unattached

**Music Choice—Win—Jarell Perry**

 **Hate, Love,Pain, Blood**

 **It's Everything I know I Gave A Life**

 **Cold Sweat, Deep Breaths**

 **If I Lose It All Then I Don't Want It Back**

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 **(A/N: Thank you all so much for reading this far. I know it's been long**

 **But thanks for barring with it. I'd also like to thank you for those who have reviewed.**

 **I love receiving your thoughts and opinions and I read them every time you send them to me**

 **Sorry it's taking every weekend for my updates but my schedule is hectic right now which means I'm busy but I love how many of you have kept reading despite this and I will continue**

 **To work harder to update faster. Thank you!**

* * *

 _Minutes prior. . . Gareki's pov_

Zeek shoved me to the ground his body on top of mine as I struggled.

His red eyes were evil. I hated them so much at that moment. I would do anything to rip them right out of his damn sockets. Seeing him yell with agony.

That might have been vulgar on my part but I didn't care. The asshole needed a proper beating rather it be gore or not.

My weapon had been thrown away from me and at the moment I was too tied up to summon it.

He had a grip on my wrists that were above my head. He looked down and smirked at me as if he had won. His face being twisted up with confidence and vengeance. That was all I could take.

I needed to be the dominant one in this fight. Stupidly of him my legs weren't bounded, giving me an opportunity to become one.

I jerked up one of my legs knowing full well it was in the position between his legs. I did it hard and fast so he couldn't see it coming. I hit him where it counted, right in his groin.

Almost instantly his head jerked down towards my face. His features scrunched into a grimace. With another opportunity open right in front of me I added another hit but this time I head butted him, sending him retreating back.

He let go of my wrists giving me the chance to gain my footing. Now standing up I reached my hand out towards my glaive that was a few feet away from me.

It flew into my hand, gripping it I twirled it before pointing the blade end in Zeek's direction.

He was laying on his side gripping at his lower regions. A sensation of laughter prodded at my throat to be unleashed but I kept my mouth shut and kept a strait face.

I didn't laugh. I never laughed. For years it's been this way with me.

"Sneaky move, bastard." He growled, glaring up at me as he slowly got back up to his feet. Clearly he still hadn't recovered fully from the blow.

I managed a smirk to smother away the sensation of laughter. "I could always do it again." I teased. I could tell my counter word play sent him on edge telling by the way his shoulders tensed and his hands clenched into fists.

"Don't bother. You got lucky but I guarantee you you won't again."

 _Really? I_ thought, straitening my face. "Trust me I can land another hit on you no problem. It won't be difficult even if you do think you're a bad ass."

By now I was just playing with him. Toying with his emotions but he was getting more and more irritated the longer my lips moved.

Before I knew it we were clashing, throwing any attacks we could each time one or the other had an opening in their posture.

I still wished I had the ability to wield electricity just like before but it was still absent within me. Maybe it was still there inside of me and I was just oblivious on how to use it but honestly I couldn't feel it.

Guess I would just have to fight off Zeek with just my magic over ice. _Be patient._ Was what Yogi had advised me to do.

Thinking about his name made me spare a quick glance over to him. But before I did so, I shielded myself behind a broken slab of the stone wall as Zeek shot bolts at me from a distance. It worked perfectly to conceal me.

"Come out from hiding. I wouldn't have expected you to be the scared type." He yelled.

I disregarded him and tamed my sights onto Yogi who had just been engulfed in purple smoke from one of Zaphora's blasting spells.

I glared at the smoke as it advanced in size from seconds passing without any sign of him jumping out. _Is he okay? Do I need to intervene?_

On her face from my vintage point I saw her smirk. That same one her brother had given me as if he would win. I hated that cocky smirk. But I hated this fight more than anything.

We were waisting time with these twins. I gripped my glaive as I focused and charged up a blast within my blade I would secretly hit her with. With one of them down it would be two against one. Depending if Yogi was okay which a part of me felt like he was.

Then this fight would be a whole lot quicker then us fighting separately.

My eyes averted over to Zeek as he yelled "Hurry up and take it, Zaphora!" At that moment my target towards her was ruined as she turned around and looked at her brother.

By the time I shot her guard would be up because she would see it heading strait for her.

"Shit." I whispered before eyeing her brother who had turned his attention to her giving me the opening I needed. I aimed and shot him instead, watching as he hit the wall behind him.

I praised myself inwardly that I had a fantastic aim when it came to shooting. I stood up from my kneeled position and gave his sister a glance.

My eyes caught her hesitation towards her brother. It looked as if she wanted to run over to see if he was okay but then she thought better of it and jumped into the purple smoke, disappearing from my view.

I trained my eyes back onto Zeek who was ripping himself from the indentation his body had made in the wall.

Another thing we had in common besides electricity use was that our bodies could withstand harsh beatings. Such as being thrown into a stone wall where it would break entirely but it would never break our bones. What a fucking coincidence and a lucky bastard he was.

If he didn't have that ability then I would've gladly banged his body up by throwing him into a few walls just to get pay back for the beating he gave me last night.

I smirked at that. Zeek was definitely a worthy opponent for me. Some one that matched my capabilities to the point where it was agonizing set a spark of excitement through my veins.

He may of been my enemy but I couldn't help but to have a bit of respect for him. Only a bit.

His glowing red eyes met mine and he didn't look happy. My smirk fell as he came charging towards me fast. Red and black orbs of electricity zapped in both palms of his hands and he shot them at me.

I acted quickly by stamping my foot on the ground causing a thick block of ice to erupt from the ground, I then placed my hands against it and shoved it in his direction.

His electricity shot it causing it to blow apart. He still came charging for me and before I knew it he was right in front of me.

He threw the first punch, I ducked forward missing his hit then came up with an under punch to his chin.

He stepped back wiping his mouth before lunging for me again.

I anticipated his next blow but I hadn't expected him to fully pick me up and slam me to the ground. I lost hold of my weapon and I felt it disappear. I'd have to summon it again later but as for now I tried to get my barrings.

He was on top of me again, choking me with tight hands. I gripped his wrists trying to pry them from my neck but to no avail they didn't come loose.

I could feel my lungs protest from the loss of air. My eyes glared up at his. "Get the fuck off!" I snapped, clenching my hands harder on his wrists as I began summoning my magic.

Frost coated his hands reaching all the way up to his elbows and that was when he yanked his hands away from my neck, I let go of his wrists. He swiped away the frost quickly before aiming a punch down at me but right as his hand came close to my face I gripped it by the wrist again and bit him with my fangs, immediately tasting his blood.

He growled painfully before delivering a punch to my temple with his other hand. "What are you some kind of animal?! Let go!"

But I still held onto his wrist. With my empty hand I lifted it up and took him by the neck before lifting myself up and slamming him on the other side of the ground, putting my weight against him to make it hard for him to do what I'd just done.

I tightened my hold on his neck expecting that I had the upper hand in the fight between us now but I'd made an obvious mistake.

For just that moment I forgot he could shoot electricity from his hands and one of them was still in my mouth. Before I could stop him he shot me and I jerked off of him.

Just like last time he shot me with electricity, I didn't feel any pain which meant I must've still had the ability to use electricity inside my body. Good to know it was actually still there.

I hit the ground, landing on my side as a net of static surrounded me.

I remembered what Yogi had told me the other day. We were connected. In the back of my mind I knew it had always been this way ever since we initially combined our magic. From the day I met him I couldn't feel his pulsing magic that always kept a constant presence near me like it does now.

His element over fire had awoken after he saw me near death. He'd said to me that mine would work in the same way but vise versa.

The static around me died down but apparently me not moving on the ground made Zeek think I was dead. He made that same mistake in our last fight.

I felt him closing in on me and once he was close enough I picked myself up on a hand stand and thrust both of my feet towards him.

I got him in the chest sending him back on stumbling feet. I brought my legs down and ended up in a crouch where I focused my magic into my right arm causing darts of ice to grow out of my skin before I flung them in his direction.

His red eyes glowed as he caught sight of them and immediately he caught all of them with one swift go after he regained his footing.

He smirked and I scowled. I eyed his stance and knew what he was about to do next.

He flung them all back at me.

At that moment my instincts were heightened. I couldn't see it but I knew the slits in my eyes had widened slightly. Everything around me went in slow motion as the ice darts came closer to me.

I back flipped into a handstand, missing one dart that flew between my arms. Spreading my legs out as I saw another coming, it went between them. I then dropped down to my feet and jerked my shoulder side ways at an upcoming dart that nearly got me but never would have touched me.

Lastly I ducked backwards watching as the dart passed me nearly touching my nose.

I came back up and saw that Zeek was running towards me with a hand pulled back into a fist of electricity. Time had suddenly gone fast again. I caught his fist before it made contact with my face.

Our faces were close, both of us glaring within one another's eyes.

I could hear him breathing and I wondered how fast he'd run just to get to me. Must've been pretty fast if he was breathing this harsh.

"I wanted you dead last night but yet you slipped away." He raged quietly. He pushed his fist closer to my face but I jerked it away still keeping a firm hold on it.

My eyebrows creased. "Yeah, I could say the same for you too." I grabbed his fist with both hands and flipped his body over, slamming him to the ground where I let go.

I lifted my foot, planning to step on him so I could say what I wanted without him lunging for me but he caught it with his hands and pushed. "I still don't understand why you aren't dead. You should be." He continued.

He pushed my foot harder causing me to retreat a couple steps back to regain my footing but during that gave him time to get up.

He lunged for me and shoved me to the wall with his forearm on my neck, once again closing up my air circulation. My hand at my side engulfed itself in thick clear ice, lifting it up I smacked him with it.

His head went to the side but his arm on my neck didn't give way. I smacked him again but this time in his shoulder where the base of his arm that was pushing against my neck was and for sure his arm dropped away.

I sucked in air before smacking him in the face again. I watched him tumble to the wall as he fell against it. Face bleeding as he spat blood from his mouth.

 _Good._ I thought breathlessly _. I hit him hard._

I made the ice around my hand disappear as I spoke. "You said I'm supposed to be dead and yet, I'm not. You underestimated me like an idiot would do. I loath people who expect that of me. And now you're going to die for it."

I walked over to him. My hand glowed blue once I lifted it towards him. "I don't want to see you or your sister coming after us again. Take your sorry assess home, back to that dark lord of yours. And don't think you've won. We'll be there in a matter of time to return things how they used to be and save that realm."

I saw his shoulders shake as he bowed his head down. Hidden by his arm that were outstretched against the wall. I heard his voice come out in a low chuckle.

I felt anger rising in me. I hated being laughed at.

He pushed himself away from the wall and instantly grabbed me by the neck and struck me with electricity. I reached up to grab for his arm but before I could he punched me in the face, hard. I was stunned from the pain of my mouth going numb as I'd accidentally bit my tongue, leaving myself open for another blow.

But he didn't hit me again. Instead he threw me aside. Electricity still swarmed around me as I hit the ground.

I opened me eyes ignoring my face pain and the taste of my own blood as I watched him walk over to me looking pissed.

I pushed myself up with my arms behind me, my eyes glowering. I was ready for his next attack but suddenly a bright golden light went off in the corner of my eye.

Zeek paused before looking over to where both Yogi and his sister were fighting. I kept my glare on him for another second not trusting if I looked away he would try and attack me but curiosity got the better of me and I found myself looking over as well.

There I saw Yogi holding his amulet out towards Zaphora who had been pushed back by a golden beam of light. She fell and slid on her back harshly against the ground.

We watched her come to a stop but she didn't move. She was still from our point of view. I began to think Yogi had killed her but just as that thought crossed me I heard snapping.

I looked over at Zeek and saw both of his hands engulfed with electricity. His face was of anger.

Realization hit me as I looked back to Yogi who had turned his back on us to walk over to her. Time slowed around me again but I knew it was going fast in reality.

Immediately I jumped to my feet and ran towards Zeek summoning my magic in my hand before shooting a burst at him but I was too late. He shot bolts of electricity towards Yogi.

 _No!_ I screamed inwardly.

I turned my head only to see Yogi falling to the ground with red and black static zapping around his body.

"Yogi!" Someone yelled. The voice sounded familiar but yet unfamiliar. Then I realized it had been me. My own voice sounded panicked. I hadn't heard it sound this way before and it still felt as if I hadn't spoken just now.

For a split second I wondered if this moment was actually happening but I came to my common senses and reassured myself everything was plain real. I may have hated Yogi but I still found myself caring about him.

I turned back to Zeek noticing my magic hadn't hit him I shoved him instead. "You fuck!" I yelled with rage. My hands lit up as my magic increased.

I quickly blasted him watching as he fell back landing on the ground with ice covering his legs and midsection.

I could feel myself growing angrier by the second but as much as I wanted to make him suffer for what he did, I needed to be at Yogi's side. Putting all my hatred I had for the blonde aside for now I pointed down at Zeek.

"If he's dead I'll fucking kill you. " I spoke through clenched fangs my voice coming out way more serious than I had expected it to.

Zeek glared at me. "He got what he deserved for killing my sister."

Turning around I didn't respond as I ran over to Yogi, soon ending up on my knees. His body still had currents zapping around him. I wondered if I was too late. Was he dead already? Oddly enough I couldn't feel his magical pulse like I normally would and that only gave me the sign that he might be.

My hand hovered over his shoulder, afraid to feel if he really was gone but I knew I needed to act now even if I didn't know what I needed to do.

Taking in a breath suddenly something pulsed within me as soon as I placed my hand on his shoulder. My eyes widened as I felt it throb in my chest like a heart beat but it felt stronger, harder as it thudded against my rib cage. It wasn't painful if anything it felt good.

I felt stronger as if something inside of me had awoken. I looked down at Yogi and saw that the electricity around him had been absorbed within my hand. His eyes were looking up at me.

I looked into them and saw them widen, his face looked surprised.

"You're doing it. You're using your new element. Unleash it now, focus and find the word to activate it." He instructed in a whisper.

I stared at him as I slowly took my hand away from his shoulder. I then looked at my hand that was swarming with red and black currents of electricity. Gradually they turned into a dark blue hue. It was mine now. I spread my fingers apart before clenching it into a fist.

"I will." I assured him as my eyes moved back down to his. "You okay?"

A small smile pulled at his lips as he sat up. "Yeah. You saved my life. Thank you."

I paused and stared at him. I looked away, realizing I was looking at him for too long."

At that moment I heard ice breaking. Looking up I caught sight of Zeek getting to his feet. The ice I'd made broke away from his body as he used his magic against it.

Yogi and I got to our feet prepared to fight.

Something about him was off though. I could see fire engulfing his hands but I couldn't feel the warmth from him like I normally would even though he was next to me. I tried to get a sense of his magical pulse but couldn't hear or feel it.

I wondered if my new element was causing this. It seemed absurd though.

We both watched as Zeek walked over to his sister and checked her pulse. He looked up at us as he stood. "She's not dead," He said flatly.

"Course she's not," Yogi said." I saw her breathing after I shot her."

His hands clenched into fists.

"That doesn't mean you're off the hook." He took a step towards Yogi but I stepped in front of him, blocking his path. "Come any closer you'll regret it." I shoved him back harshly. He slapped my hands away at the last minute as he stumbled back.

My eyes glowed as we both stared each other down.

"Don't get in my way." He snapped.

My hands clenched at my sides. "Or what? Attack me and see what happens next. I dare you."

"I'm not scared just because it's two against one. I'm getting my hands on that amulet and then I'll dispose of you both."

A deep growl mad it's way up my throat as my jaw clenched. I turned to Yogi and held my hand out. "We need to combine, I want this fight over with as soon as possible."

He gave me a reluctant look. "Gareki. . ." He started slowly.

"What?" Anger was evident in my voice. I kept my hand held for him to grab. What was wrong with him?

He shook his head. A look of loss written all over his face.

"What?" I repeated, beginning to lose my patience. I dropped my hand. I glanced at Zeek, he was still standing in the same place, watching us intently. I turned and gave Yogi a strange look. "We've waisted enough time, Yogi. Do you want him to take your amulet?"

"Of course not." He urged quickly.

"Then what the hell is holding you back?" My jaw clenched as I stared at him intensely.

He sighed.

"I can't do it— _**we**_ can't do it." He said softly as the flames engulfing his hands dispersed.

I could feel my face crease up into a frown. What did he mean we couldn't do it? Did he not know how important this was?

I stepped closer to him, looking strait into his eyes. My voice came out low but loud enough for him to hear. "What are you talking about?"

He shook his head again. "His sister told me things. She said something was holding us back from combining. I don't want to believe her but. . . what if it 's true?"

I felt my body growing colder and inhaled a slow breath to calm my nerves. Why was I getting pissed at a time like this?

Maybe because he was waisting important time by believing in the enemy who wanted to kill him and take his amulet. I didn't understand him at times and this was one of them.

"She's obviously trying to use it as a lie to hold you back. Do you honestly think she would know how our combining works?"

"Maybe it is or isn't a lie, but do you know how it works? Last time I checked we just did it but after that strange upgrades have been happening to us that we both can't even figure out why it's all occurring." He countered.

I sighed before reaching my hand out again. "Stop talking and let's just do this."

He looked at my hand before looking back into my glowing eyes.

"Fine, but answer me this. . . .Have you felt my magical pulse at all today?"

I quickly reached forward and snatched his hand within mine without answering the question. I was beginning to get fed up with this argument.

It wasn't true and I wasn't going to believe him. His hand was warm in mine. But the obvious pulse of his magic was still absent. I tried to ignore the fact that I still couldn't feel it as I faced Zeek.

"Let's just get this over with." I muttered.

Zeek eyed us as if he expected what we were about to do. Yogi intertwined his fingers in mine and held firmly.

We both simultaneously held our arms out that weren't intertwined by our hands. I focused on trying to feel his magical pulse. That warm feeling that would always transfer it's presence over to me. But I couldn't.

I felt a block as if a wall was stopping me.

Our hands continued to outstretch in front of us and I saw Zeek relax his tense shoulders as his expectations lowered.

My eyebrows furrowed as nothing happened even after a whole minute. In the corner of my eye I saw Yogi looking at me as if to say "I told you so" which only made me more irritated.

I jerked my hand away from his and glared at him. "You have to be kidding me."

He dropped his arm. "I told yo—"

"No! Don't even say it."

"We both knew this was going to happen, Gareki," He said seriously.

I pointed at him. "It's because of you. You just had to believe what she said. If you hadn't of believed in her words then you wouldn't be doubting us being able to combine."

"That's not true and you know it. It's been this way between us ever since this morning." He defended.

I stopped in thought before asking, "Ever since this morning?" My voice had lost it's force and now was speaking softly.

"Yes this morning. When you saved me from getting killed by those rocks, you grabbed my hand. Normally when you do that I would feel your magic, but for some reason I couldn't."

I opened my mouth to say something else but a bolt of electricity between us stopped me.

I turned my head to glower at Zeek.

"Don't you two think you should be worried about me instead of arguing with each other?" He threw another bolt at us.

Me and Yogi parted ways as we jumped away from each other as the bolt hit the area we were standing in.

I front rolled behind a stone wall, placing my back flat against it before peaking around the corner slightly. My eyes scanned for bluish- black hair. Once I spotted it I went looking for Yogi.

He was a few feet away hiding behind a smaller wall but would soon be found. Zeek was mostly near him.

I cursed before looking down at my hand. I could do this right? I could use electricity. I just needed to focus. I peeked around the corner again right as Zeek had spotted Yogi and once he had his hand sparked with more static as he prepared to shoot him again.

My heart lurched in excitement, urging me forward. I knew I needed to act quickly or else Yogi really would be dead this time.

I jumped out from behind the wall pulled my arm back and with one spark of my new element of electricity going through my body a word came to mind pushing me to say it.

"Elektrizität!" I threw my arm forward, spreading my hand out as a strong current of electricity swirled off of my arm and flew out of my hand.

It cut through the air swiftly and hit strait at Zeek, throwing him back. But right as I shot him he had shot his own towards me.

I lifted my other hand up and watched as it hit my palm, it didn't hurt. Instead of hurting me I turned it into my own and threw it back at him.

I saw his surprised expression at seeing my new powers and I instantly felt like I would have he upper hand in our fight again.

Yogi got to his feet and headed over to me.

"We'll talk about combining later but for now our priority is him." I nodded my head in Zeek's direction.

"Okay," he agreed before looking at my hands that were sparking with dark blue bolts. "You understand your new element now?"

"I spoke the word like you wanted. I might as well be able to use it at my own will. I'm a fast learner so understanding how to wield it shouldn't be a problem."

"Perfect," he said before touching his amulet causing it to glow. He held it out before shooting a bright golden beam at Zeek.

He formed a shield around himself but was failing to keep up right as our magic hit against him.

I pushed forward with my arms causing a wave of electricity to surge towards him.

It hit him hard. He fell onto the ground sliding.

Yogi and I ceased fire and waited for any sudden movements from him.

He managed to get up but as soon as he had an eerie whistle rang out. My ears twitched at the sound. It became louder as the seconds passed.

Yogi looked around. "What is that?"

I didn't answer him right away. I was only trying to listen. The whistle rounded in pitch making my ears feel numb. I heard this from some where and I knew what creature was making it.

"Sylph." I muttered under my breath. Those creatures were dangerous and were known to kill on sight. Yogi looked at me as if he had heard what I said.

I ignored Zeek and turned to Yogi instead. "Change of plans, we need to leave." I turned and began running but he stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.

"We can't just leave. Zeek and his sister will come after us again. And why do we need to leave anyway?"

"They'll be killed sooner rather than later. And unless you want to stay here and get torn apart by sylph I suggest you stop talking and come with me."

He looked at me surprised but didn't make a move to run with me.

I rolled my eyes before grabbing his wrist. "For Christ sake, Yogi, let's go. We don't have time."

A bolt of lightning zipped close to my body but immediately I grabbed it and threw it back at Zeek who caught it. "I'm not going to let you leave," he said.

The whistle became louder and I knew sylph were getting closer. Zeek took a step over to us but suddenly a green laser shot down burning the ground in a single thin line as flames grew blocking him from us.

"We're too late." I dropped my hand from Yogi's wrist.

He looked at me again before looking up and saw a sylph flying above us, two more were floating over towards it.

"They're here."


	16. Despite Everything

_Gareki's POV._ . .

I looked up at the sylph that had it's mouth wide open as another green laser shot out from the glowing orb in it's mouth.

It shot down at Zeek who quickly picked up his sister's unconscious body before taking cover.

I couldn't take my eyes off of the sylph. I remembered being attacked by one at a younger age. The injuries I had were substantial and took me years to recover from, even with my fast healing rate and my healing spells the burnt skin took a while to fully grow back.

That had been years ago and yet this creature hadn't changed in appearances at all. I couldn't stop staring.

It's body had the skin of light green, nearly white with two sets of thin blue lines on each arm. It's head was oval shaped with big black eyes that appeared beady without an iris or pupil. It's hair was flames glowing an inferno of blue. It's only clothing was a silk white fabric that was a two piece over it's breasts and a fluttering skirt over it's hips cascading down at the back of it's knees. Lastly were it's translucent wings that outlined a sparkling white.

Beside me I felt Yogi pulling my wrist. I stumbled in the direction he pulled me in, just as another green laser shot down in the spot I'd been standing.

 _So now he wants to run. I co_ uldn't help but to think in annoyance.

"Gareki, come on." He ushered me. I hadn't realized that he'd been calling my name during my trance. I blinked a few times feeling as if I'd just woken up from slumber.

We ran into the cave for cover, kneeling behind stalagmites. I regained my composure and looked at Yogi who was looking at me sternly.

"What were you thinking, just standing there as if you wanted to get shot?" He scolded.

"Stuck in thought. " I corrected him.

He shook his head as if to say "What's the difference" I sighed in exasperation before adding," what about you? If you hadn't of froze back there then we wouldn't even be sitting here right now. Told you to run with me and yet you didn't." I crossed my arms.

"I was confused." He tried.

I shrugged. "That's supposed to be an excuse?" I turned away from him to peak around one of the stalagmites, as I did I saw Zeek and his sister making a retreat by morphing into black smoke.

My eyebrows knit together as I cursed in a whisper before glancing back at Yogi. "Looks like your pursuers got away. So much for them getting killed by sylph." I grumbled the last part more to myself, disappointment edged into my voice.

"What?" He sounded shocked before peeking through one of the cracks.

"They're gone, Yogi." I assured him.

"Yeah." He looked back at me," but like I said before, they'll be coming after me again and Zeek will be coming to murder you."

"Not if I murder him first. Right now we have bigger things on our hands to worry about then those cowards." I gestured to the sylph that were throwing down lasers outside of the cave causing green flames to grow.

Yogi turned his sights back onto our priority."Right, these sylph you mentioned. What are we going to do about them?"

"We as in you." I pointed a finger at him. "Ice magic isn't going to hold off fire."

He cocked his head slightly at me. "That doesn't sound right," he said slowly.

"Well it is. Now stop stalling and do something about this fire."

"Gareki, what can I possibly do to stop this? I have elements over the sun and fire. If anything I'm just going to make it worse."

"No if anything you can control it. Did you not just see me turn Zeek's electricity into my own? We basically now have the same element which means I can turn his against him. It has to work with yours too."

Yogi looked back at the growing fire, still reluctant.

I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down at my shoes. "Think of it this way. The more time we waist the less time it takes for us to save Pastel and for him to lead us out of this maze to Eva's castle so she can allow us our exit. And you know what that means? We waist more time to get to the Realm Gates for you to save your kingdom. The clock is ticking Yogi and it's all based on you at this very moment."

I looked up at him and noticed the solemn expression he gave me. _How long had he been starring at me like that_? I thought.

He starred at me for another second before silently standing up. He walked away from me and moved to the entrance of the cave.

I watched him as the flames grew bigger in front of him. Reaching his hand out with his fingers spread he starred at the flames intently. A few seconds passed before the flames started maneuvering in the direction his hand went. He reached up with his other and brought his hands together before quickly moving them apart causing the flames to distinguish, leaving smoke in their wake.

A laser shot down at him but before it shot him his amulet glowed golden and formed a shield in front of him, blocking the laser.

He looked back at me, a blaze lighting up in his eyes with determination. "Let's go." He ordered firmly.

Standing up I jogged over beside him.

"I can handle the fire like you said but I'm going to need you to cover me."

I gave him a single nod. We walked out of the cave the shield still up in front of us.

I looked up and saw a total of four sylph flying above us now. My hands sparked with electricity I reached an arm up before shooting it out of my hand in a long beam.

"Elektrizität!" The word came more fluently to me now.

The sylph I was targeting countered my attack with a laser.

They both collided strongly. But mine was more dominate. I pulled my hand back before pushing it forward causing more electricity to surge up the beam. It pushed until it reached the sylph, throwing it back with a hard impact. I killed it easily after that.

I turned and saw fire grazing the ground next to me where a laser had just shot down. Clearly it was aiming for me but had missed.

Once Yogi saw it he put it out before hurling a fire ball at the suspected sylph that had thrown the laser.

The sylph dodged before opening it's mouth wide again and shot down another laser strait for him.

I jumped in front of him forming quick hand symbols before shoving my hands out towards the beam. "Freeze!" I yelled.

A strong wind with frost left my palms, freezing the laser on impact. Ice trailed all the way up until it reached the sylph's open mouth, freezing it's body whole. It plummeted to the ground, smashing into shards.

"Thanks— look out!" Yogi exclaimed, dispersing his shield as he pushed me aside before throwing balls of light at an upcoming sylph that came hissing towards me with it's sharp claws.

It swiftly moved from left to right, dodging his magic before jumping on him, shoving him to the ground on his back. He was pushing it away from his face as it's claws kept trying to scratch at it. I could tell he was struggling to see as it kept lashing out at him.

I took a step over to him to help but before I could another sylph latched itself onto my face, it's claws scratching the back of my head. I stumbled and fell to the ground, letting out profanities and groans of pain as I tried pulling it off.

But the shit didn't want to let go. I fisted my hand and punched it's back only causing it to become more angered. I felt it bite my nose harshly. I yelled before gripping it tightly by the neck and flung it off of me a few feet away. In doing so it had scratched the back of my neck. I felt it sting immensely as I tried to catch my breath, choking back my agony.

I heard the sylph screech in protest before it came flying for me again.

I formed a long ice dart and turned on my side before thrusting the sharp tip right into the creature's mouth. "Fucking die!"

It screeched in my face as soon as I'd stabbed it.

A few seconds passed before it's screeching ceased. It's body turned saggy and grey before splattering to the ground. I stared at it, still trying to catch my breath.

I felt drops of blood fall from my bitten nose and scratched neck. I took in a deep breath from my mouth and instantly felt the scratched skin on both close up completely. The pain disappeared and I was thankful for my fast healing rate.

My head snapped towards Yogi who was still struggling against his own sylph. I gripped the ice dart in my hand before walking over and stabbed it clean through the sylph's back. The dart went all the way through until it peaked out from the other side.

"Get off of him you piece of shit!"

It screeched before I yanked it off of Yogi and threw it on the ground. I yanked out the dart before slamming it hard through it's head instead.

It's wings twitched before it's body turned grey and saggy just like the last. I kept both my hands gripped onto the dart as I sank down in a kneel, heaving breath through my parted lips as I glared down at my killing.

These things definitely set my adrenaline on.

A minute passed before I caught my breath. Lifting a hand, I pushed fallen black strands out of my eyes.

"Are you okay?"

I slowly looked up and turned my head to look at Yogi who starred at me seriously but with concern in his eyes. He walked over to me with a hand held out.

I looked back down at the dead sylph. Placed a hand on it's chest I yanked my dart out before making it disappear. Turning back to Yogi, I grabbed his hand and allowed him to pull me to my feet.

I tried to ignore the fact that the pulse of his magic was still inexistent around me and it was even more obvious by the contact of his hand.

At that moment I felt at a loss. As if something important had been snatched away from me and I'd never get to see it again.

I had never thought once that combining with Yogi had meant something so important to me until I had lost it.

Something between us had to of happened to prevent us from doing it. Maybe it wasn't just Yogi's beliefs about what Zaphora had said. It had to be with me too. But what?

I pulled my hand away from his and looked at it. _What had I done that held us back from combining?_

"You're thinking about it, aren't you?" He figured.

My eyes moved up to his. "I know I said we'd talk about this later, but it's stuck in my head. What made us this way?" The last sentence came out more quietly then I had intended.

But as always Yogi heard me.

"Gareki." He took a step closer to me. Closing up the gap between us only leaving a foot of space ,"I don't know for sure, but I think—"

Another eerie whistle interrupted him. My body tensed and I found myself backing away from him. My thirst for blood may have happened yesterday but effects were still taking place within my senses.

I could smell it. A fresh wound on him had obviously been made.

He looked at me knowingly before looking up at more upcoming sylph.

My guess was that they'd sensed the lost of their own kind and had come to avenge them. He looked back down at me.

Reaching his arm towards me that was where I saw it. He had claw marks from that sylph who had attacked him. It must have scratched him during their scuffle.

"You need to bite me now." He insisted. "You have that look in your eyes, Gareki. I can tell you're about to turn."

I bit my tongue causing blood of my own to drip down my throat. That would hold me off for now, but it wasn't enough I knew.

But as of now the most important thing was for us to get out of here before we were killed by more sylphs. But part of me in my mind knew that wasn't the entirely true reason why I hadn't bit him here and now.

I shook my head at him. "Now isn't the time."

He gave me a funny look as if what I had said was crazy. And it was. I had to agree with him on that. Especially since I was the one who ended up most upset about my last thirst attack and here I was plainly setting it off again. But I knew what I was doing.

The eerie whistle was closing in and was becoming louder. But both of us didn't move. We kept staring at each other.

"Gareki, you keep pushing me away and all I'm trying to do is watch your back." He sounded offended.

I could practically feel the sylph presence nearing. "Do you want to end up back in that cave again. Now isn't the fucking time, Yogi." I practically had to yell at him to get my point through.

He gave me a hard look before sighing with a shake of his head. "You're right, " he said bitterly, dropping his arm down to his side ,"This isn't the fucking time."

He looked as if he had been rejected by some one he loved and it had stung.

Was he seriously upset about this?

My shoulders dropped as I rolled my eyes in slight annoyance. I would have to console him but I wasn't any good at cheering people up. "Yogi?"

Before he could turn and look at me a green laser shot down between us.

Fire grew large. Separating us.

I stepped away from it, blocking my eyes with an arm.

The flames were bright and I could feel the heat radiating off of them as they grew closer to me.

I removed my arm and saw them up close. My face turned from serious to instant fear.

That childhood fear of death suddenly aroused inside of me right when I'd thought I had smothered it away and was finally getting over it.

I was scared for my life. I didn't want to die from burning to death.

"Shit." Was the only word I could say. I was stuck here and I couldn't use any of my magic against this. Not even a winter wind would hold off sylph fire.

I backed up against the cave wall trying to determine my next move. But there wasn't anything I could do.

The flames were too high to jump over and honestly if they had been lower then I would have attempted using the cave wall for support to jump off of.

"Stay calm and think." I muttered to myself.

Beneath me I felt the ground rumble before a vine erupted out of the soil, wrapping itself around my ankle before hoisting me up side down.

"The hell?!" I uttered in surprise before remembering this was one of Yogi's vines. It lifted me over the flames. I watched them intently as I passed over them. The heat hot on my face.

Suddenly another laser shot down cutting into the vine that was carrying me. I could feel myself falling and the next thing I knew I was laying flat on the ground, face in the dirt.

I pushed myself up quickly and shook my head to release the soil from my face with my eyes closed spitting out an "Ow" as I did.

Yogi ran over to me as I stood up. "We need to go." He scrutinized me quickly for injury before pulling me in a direction.

Now with all the dirt wiped clean from my face I could see, and what I saw was five more sylph above us.

They spotted us before shooting.

I pulled my hand free from Yogi's grasp and stopped running only to turn around and kneel down putting a hand on the ground where I formed a large wall of thick ice to block their shots.

I turned to a waiting Yogi and we both started sprinting again.

"Are we even heading the right way?" He asked a few feet behind me.

"Right now I don't think that matters."

"Of course it doesn't." He sounded bitter all over again which told me he was still effected by my decision.

I ignored him and instead focused on running. Right now it just sounded like he was upset all because I wouldn't bite him. It sounded immature to me.

Behind me loud crashes were made. I spared a glance and saw the ice wall shatter to the ground.

The sylph were after us again. I clenched my hand as a blue aura glowed from it before I threw back a beam of ice magic at one of them.

I hit my target before throwing another blast. I turned back around and saw a stone wall, blocking us from going any further. The only direction was left and I led us that way.

I looked up and only saw three more sylphs flying towards us.

They were coming fast with their claws held out.

I cursed as one shot a laser at me. It came down close to my feet. It hadn't hit me but had caused me to loose my balance. I hit the ground hard. Yogi stumbled over me. To late to stop his sprint from my sudden abrupt fall. His body impacted the ground hard as well.

We both rolled down a hill. The world around me spinning out of control in quick spins before finally my back hit against a stone wall.

Yogi rolled next to me with a groan.

I opened my eyes trying to stand up and get us a running start again before the sylph came but I shakily fell back down on my ass.

My vision was so fucked up with spinning I felt myself about to vomit.

I breathed in gasps of air to catch my breath. "Yogi," I said weakly, " we need to keep running."

"I got you." He assured.

I felt his hand grab mine and I heard the shuffle of him standing up. He pulled me to my feet, being my eyes for the time being as he led me through the maze in an unknown direction.

Next thing I knew he had pulled me into what looked to be an enclosure. I could only tell so little with my spinning vision.

He pulled me to the ground. Into the shadows. Pulling me close to him until our shoulders pressed together. I felt his arm wrap around my shoulders. He whispered for me to stay silent.

It became obvious to me that we were hiding.

I could smell him even more now. I wanted to jerk away from him but I was hindered with the thought of being burned to death by the sylph who'd figure out where we were hiding if I moved.

My spinning vision left me and I could see again, to my relief.

But that relief was instantly gone. Now that my sight was back I could actually see how close he was to me and it only made me tense up. I swallowed hard as my eyes gradually lingered down to his injured arm. It was placed in his lap, estimated by a close distance away from me.

My mouth watered and I began to feel my fangs grow slightly longer.

 _Control it. Now isn't the time._

My hand pulled into a fist as I ripped my eyes away from the revealing blood of his fresh wound. Instead I eyed the sylph who flew above us. They paused in mid air. Their wings fluttering in rapid flaps.

Beady black eyes scanned the area but missed us in the shadows. All three of them flew off some where else. As soon as they'd left Yogi loosened his arm and pulled it away from my shoulders.

I looked back at him and found him staring at me again.

"What?" I whispered with irritation. I knew the sylph were still in the area so I made sure my voice was low.

"You know what I'm about to say." He spoke in a serious voice.

My face matched his voice. "Don't bring it up."

"I'm bringing it up anyway." He shoved his injured arm towards me and this time I jerked away from him. "Just get it over with, Gareki." He whisper-shouted.

I resisted and a part of me wondered why I was doing so.

Half of me felt as if there was still a chance to hold off my thirst without drinking blood, but the other half wanted me to take the plunge by biting him and allow him to help me like he wanted to do in the first place.

I knew I had agreed to allow him to provide me with blood but now I was rethinking it. I was so used to holding myself back from drinking his blood, but only because my instincts wanted me to over drink.

I knew it was reckless and stupid. Hell, I was going to end up nearly violating him again if I didn't drink his blood now. My best bet was just to trust him and allow him to help. I was fucked either way, but at least one of my choices allowed me some assurance as in 'maybe'.

I didn't want yesterdays events to reoccur today.

"Why do you keep pushing me away when I'm only trying to help you?" His face was still stern but his eyes were dismal.

I felt my body drain of irritation towards him as I stared at the sad and disappointed look his eyes gave me. It suddenly occurred to me that this was the true reason why he was upset with me. It hadn't been all because I hadn't bit him. He just wanted to help.

I looked down at his injury. "I have this thing about feeling weak. It makes me believe at times I don't need others to help me."

He gave me a rejected expression before blinking a few times as if bewildered. "So. . .what I said to you when this journey between us first began about us watching one another's backs. Did that not mean anything to you?" His voice came out as accusing.

I shook my head slowly. "No, it did. It still does. You're getting the wrong idea. At times I feel like I need support but other times, I want to do things on my own. Do you get what I'm saying now?"

His shoulders dropped and the disappointment left his face leaving understanding. "Yeah, I do. But I find it stupid, no offense to you, but Gareki you're literally the only person I have in this world who knows me and the only person I fully trust. I can't go a second, a minute, or an entire day without feeling the need to help or protect you in some way. I care about you and as far as I know. I'm the only person you have now as well."

I froze and stared at him wide eyed. I hadn't expected him to say all that but the most mind fucking thing was. . .he was right. He was always right when it came to a personal level of knowing me. I was a trader of my own kingdom and was banished. I could never go back. I was alone but he was here.

He gave me an intense look strait into my eyes. "You need to allow me to protect you, despite your feelings of weaknesses or not. I'm tired of arguing with you and disagreeing. We are all we've got here so you need to agree with me on this permanently. Allow me to protect you . Things will be a lot easier this way."

I continued to stare at him. My heart giving me an excited thud against my rib cage. I needed to except him as a better comrade.

My face turned serious as I nodded once. "Okay."

One corner of his lips lifted into a small smile and relief came over his face.

He lifted his wound towards me again. I grabbed his wrist and examine the cuts. "Does it hurt?"

"Like hell. It's taking every ounce of my will power to not flinch."

I continued to look at it. My mouth watering all over again. I prayed like hell that my drinking his blood now would go smoothly just like last nights had.

My instincts hadn't kicked in as strongly last night when I sucked his blood. Hopefully they wouldn't compel me to drink too much now.

I lifted his arm slowly to my lips, inches away. "I'll be gentle." I offered softly.

He nodded as a little redness took onto his cheeks. I ignored that genetic and focused on his wound.

Slowly I brought my tongue onto it and licked from bottom to top. The blood from him slid onto my tongue. It tasted so good that it caused me to lick more strongly. Sweet with a smidge of salt and something else that pulled the flavor all together but I couldn't identify it. My eyes closed as I kept licking.

I could hear his heart beat faster in excitement as well as his breath gasping quietly. My eyes opened slightly to look at him.

His head was leaned back against the stone wall, eyes closed tightly as pleasure took over his features. I closed my eyes again and gave his injury one last lick before sinking my teeth in slowly. He gasped in surprise.

I wished he wouldn't think this was pleasurable. There was nothing pleasurable about a damn monster sucking your blood.

Warm liquid slid onto my tongue before cascading down my throat. I inhaled a breath suddenly finding myself sucking harder.

 _So fucking good._ My conscience screamed desperately.

I held him tighter and bit harder. Suddenly Yogi was gasping out my name.

"Ga- Gareki."My eyes snapped open and I quickly yanked my fangs out and retreated from his arm.

I looked at him. He was still leaning against the wall with his eyes closed but was breathing heavily. A few blonde strands fell onto his eyes.

At that moment I found him breath takingly attractive. But the sensation only lasted 3 seconds before disappearing. Then I only saw him as a regular person.

He caught his breath. His whole act of enjoyment during my drinking his blood not even hindering him to show some decency. He sure as hell didn't hide the fact that it felt good when I bit him.

Opening his eyes he saw me staring. A little taken by surprise at his display.

He blushed even more before moving strands of blonde out of his eyes. "Sorry. It's just. . .your bite. . .it's enjoyable. I like the feel of it despite the pain." His voice was hesitant. His eyes glanced away from me as if to not see my reaction.

I lifted an eyebrow not expecting him to say all that either. Well now I knew why he enjoyed it. But now that I knew the reason, I wished he hadn't told me.

It was as if I were violating him all over again. But at least I hadn't over drank.

He spared a glance down at his arm and saw the remaining blood. He looked at me and I saw the hinting look in his eyes telling me what he wanted.

Reaching forward I grabbed his wrist again and brought my tongue on his wound to clean away the access blood. I couldn't believe I was doing this. It seemed so weird.

But it was fine, because it was only us. I didn't feel the need to judge what was happening right now. This would be how we acted around one another. Guess we had grown that comfortable with each other.

But at that moment I forgave him for everything he had done to me that I had found infuriating. He had influenced me to forgive despite all the things that seemed unforgivable. I even took back my hatred for the fact that I'd fallen for him. I still couldn't except the knew emotion though.

Something that was described to be so strong—love— we couldn't possibly go that far. Even I wasn't that strong.

But my mind and body told me I was. I didn't know what to believe anymore. I just knew I couldn't except love for Yogi.

I pulled away from his wound and looked up. I couldn't hear any of the sylph, they had possibly gone farther out looking for us.

"They're gone." I told him as I wiped my lips with the front of my arm.

He nodded, still blushing. "We should go then."

I agreed as we stood. He whipped out the map and we began determining which paths to take to get back on course.


	17. Understandings

_Yogi's POV . . ._

I watched Gareki's back as he walked ahead of me. He was silent as he held the map in his hands. No sooner had he grabbed it he hadn't said a word to me. It had been hours since we had last spoke of our next course of directions.

Morning had passed us quickly rather than slowly. It was already the peak of afternoon hours now.

The sun was seeping in like it always did. Every time I passed through it's rays I would pause to absorb some it into my skin. But then I would step out to catch up with Gareki again.

Warmth spread through out my body in gooseflesh. It was hard being in a cave when your race was Rimahakkian. I needed the sun more than ever but at least I could enjoy some of it. I was grateful I hadn't grown weak by now.

I spotted a fruit tree up ahead and once we reached it I plucked two off. _How long had it been since I've eaten?_

I examined them and saw that it had the same appearance as the fruit Pastel had offered me a few days ago. They were bigger then my palms and were a dark purple.

I took a small bite despite my eager hunger begging me to take a bigger one.

The texture when I bit into it had been soft and tender. It was sweet and juicy with a bit of tang to it. The Arcial Realm's fruit was strange but delicious.

"We're a mile away from the water hole." Gareki announced, sparring a glance back at me. The water hole was the location where we were supposed to find the water demon rune.

I nodded before taking another bite. This time bigger. His blue-grey eyes eyed the fruit before turning away to look back at the map.

 _Well, he finally spoke. I t_ hought.

Hearing his voice made me recall our earlier disputes. A lot had happened yesterday that frustrated him, I could tell. But a lot of yesterday had affected today.

It seemed like all we did was argue or get ourselves in harsh tempered talks and misunderstandings. I hated it. The last thing I want was for us to be yelling in each other's faces.

We weren't going to get anywhere with doing all that.

I appreciated the fact that I brought it all up and he had agreed to stop all his nonsense and pride of not wanting to feel weak.

I understood where he was coming from though. Hell, he was an Avatar. The race of people who fought coldly with strength of independence. He had been taught to act this way as a prince who was to obtain the throne. He had to be cold and ruthless like his mother and the people of his kingdom.

I knew how he felt. I couldn't relate because my parents were dead but I knew I needed to act a certain way when it came to the people of my own kingdom.

But still, I was just relieved he considered my words and hopefully now we wouldn't argue anymore.

But one problem still held me to believe I needed to keep a close eye on him. And that was his thirst for blood.

I took another bite of the fruit before raising my arm where the claw marks were on the inner part of my forearm. The wound was clean thanks to a small puddle of clear water I'd found to rinse it with. It was already looking better then what it initially had.

A scene of Gareki licking it popped into my mind, playing itself over and over.

His gentle tongue going up and down and then the soft insertion of his fangs. He hadn't lied when he told me he'd be gentle. It made me think that he really did have the control I knew he had all along.

He had pulled away by the time I called his name when he could have easily kept going. If he were really incapable of controlling his own thirst then he would have drank way more. He hadn't though.

But it was clear to me I still needed to take responsibility for this and watch him. And even though it had appeared easy for him to pull away. It was difficult for him still. Before he had even bit me I could tell he was afraid to over drink. Maybe his urge was wanting him to. Possibly that could be why he's always pushing away my offerings.

I dropped my arm before looking up at his back again. He was becoming easier to read. That was good because now I could understand what he wanted better. Just by a look.

I scrutinized at my surroundings, letting my mind trail back to other things as I finished the fruit.

Jiki was dead. Knowing that was painful even though I didn't know him very well, Pastel sure had. But Jiki's last wish was for us to get Pastel back and so that's exactly what we were going to do. And as revenge for his death both Zeek and Zaphora have it coming for them. But when we did get Pastel back how would I break the news to him?

The cat had been living with the warlock ever since he'd gotten himself stuck down here.

I could just imagine his reaction once I do tell him. He'll be devastated, no doubt.

Jiki had died because of me. It had been my fault. But I would take full responsibility for his death. That was the least I could do.

"Hey." Gareki called.

I looked at him noticing he had stopped. He tilted his head, beckoning me to come over.

I threw down the remains of the fruit before I made my way over to him as he stared down at something behind the stone wall.

Once I stepped next to him and looked down I held my breath.

Just as I was thinking about Jiki's death, there was another sight of a dead body right in front of me.

It was decayed but had a few slivers of rotten skin on the revealing bones. The skeleton of the body from what I could see from the dirty clothing was black from dried blood.

The smell hadn't hit me until I took a step closer. Next thing I knew I was coughing harshly and distancing myself quickly away from the body. The stench was terrible. I looked back at Gareki finding him still standing near it, and he was the one that was supposed to have the acute sense of smell so why wasn't he effected?

"How did it get here?" I managed to say with a queasy voice.

He pointed at the spear sticking out of the corpse's chest. "By some kind of triggered trap. I'm guessing this is an Outsider who got lost in the maze." His voice was matter o fact.

"You don't smell it?" I asked incredulously.

"Trust me I do but it doesn't bother me." He looked genuine which told me he was being serious.

 _Unbelievable_. Spoke my conscience.

He turned away from me and eyed the Outsider once more. This may have been a maze full of traps but this was surprisingly our first dead body sighting that had been killed because of the maze. I wondered how big Queen Eva had made this place. Maybe the bodies were spread out.

Gareki stepped closer to the body before he kicked it's shoulder causing the rib cage to rattle.

I stared up at him from my position on the ground. "Why'd you do that for?"

He peaked at me through the strands of black hair. "For the fun of it," he said plainly. He glanced back down at the body before continuing. "Let's keep moving. We need to get to the water hole before nightfall." He turned and began walking, tail waving behind him in a slow movement.

I straitened before coming up beside him.

"Do you think Outsiders will encounter us?" I asked.

"Here?" He glanced at me from the corner of his eye. I nodded.

"Probably. But if they do they're in for a fight." He threatened lightly which made it all the more true that he wouldn't go easy if we did get in a fight with them.

Hearing him say that made me think of something that caused me to become curious. "You know, as long as I've been here I never really pictured what they look like. That corpse didn't really help me either."

He shrugged slightly before answering. "Outsiders are identified as humans but they're magicians which means they're not entirely human. And just so you know what kind of abilities they have, they use spells to transport themselves to different realms to commit thefts and murders in kingdoms. Don't ask why, they just do."

I blinked recalling him explaining that."I think I recall you telling me something about that."

"Probably but I don't know." He put aside the conversation with a look at the map. But then he looked up, and his eyebrows creased as he looked thoughtful before giving me a half glance.

"Earlier before the sylph came and attacked us you were about to tell me something about why you think we coudn't combine. What were you going to say?"

His eyes were staring right into mine. He looked curious and expectant. He really wanted to know. I suddenly was over whelmed with the urge to talk about everything with him.

I thought about what he was asking as we continued to walk. What he was mentioning had just been an opinion of mine, but I wasn't admitting it to be true.

"You know how we've been on different pages recently?" I looked down at him.

He was no longer looking at me but in front of us instead.

"Different pages." He repeated in a whisper before answering aloud. "Arguing."

"Exactly and you know how I told you we're connected?"

He nodded.

"Considering the amount of arguing we've done I think we may have disconnected our connection. We're not in sync anymore is what I'm saying. Its as if our magic split apart all because of us arguing. If that's so then we were more connected then we knew of."

He lifted his arm and held it up in front of me, forcing me to stop once I ran into it with my chest. He stopped as well, starring strait ahead. His eyebrows were pulled together again.

He turned his head and looked at me in half awe and half seriousness.

I rethought what I had said and found that it sounded crazy. I backpedaled and decided to reason with him that It wasn't as crazy as it had sounded.

"Listen I know it sounds stupid but honestly that's just what I think. If you think it's crazy then forget what I said. It's just that—"

"Yogi." He interrupted me before I started babbling. I calmed my nerves before looking him in the eyes. "It doesn't sound stupid." He calmed me with a slight reassuring look. His voice was steady but held slight authority.

I could tell he was trying to help me feel sane but wasn't used to how. But I read his actions all the same and appreciated them.

"It doesn't?" I asked, feeling shocked he had said that.

"No, it doesn't." He turned his ahead away from me as he dropped his arm and kept walking forward. I followed suit. "What you just said might be right or sure as hell is."

"How so?" I asked slowly still feeling shocked he hadn't found my opinion stupid.

"It just makes sense and the fact that our combining stopped once we argued earlier makes it even more so. Maybe it wasn't your beliefs on what Zaphora said to you but was really this arguing shit instead."

"Now I know what I did to cause this." He whispered to himself.

I nodded silently before mentioning: "We made up though so wouldn't that mean we can do it again?"

Suddenly his demeanor changed. It flickered to disappointment and forlorn before switching back to stoic. That display had appeared within 2 seconds but I had caught it before missing it.

I wondered why he expressed such a look.

"I don't think so. I can't feel your magical pulse," he said, tracing the fine black curves of his tribal tattoo on the inner part of his right forearm.

I paused trying to feel his magical pulse but nothing came to. I sighed. "Neither can I with yours. Gareki we need to fix this."

"Agreed. We need to get it back as soon as possible."

I gave him a curious glance before looking ahead again. Apparently we found it a necessity when combining and I knew why. We relied on it and it was a feeling of strength that we took advantage of. I suppose that was why we found it so important to get it back.

I stopped walking. "Do you think. . .we could try it?"

He stopped and turned to me. No expression was on his face this time. "If we can't feel each other's pulse then I don't think there's a point."

He was right. I knew that without the feeling of one another's magic flooding through our bodies then the whole combining magic process wouldn't be made. But still, I wanted to try.

"Please, Gareki." My face showed an expression of pleading.

He stared at me for a second. Seeming a bit taken aback by my begging. He looked away from me before reaching his hand out for me to grab. "Fine." He sighed.

I grabbed his hand, intertwining our fingers. I felt him squeeze my hand lightly and I did the same to his. I waited for that familiar feeling of a cold sensation ghosting up my arm.

10 seconds turned into a minute and I knew I wasn't going to feel it. Reluctantly I let go of his hand. "I don't get it. We trust each other and we aren't arguing now. We're not mad at each other." I looked at him as he lifted an eyebrow at me.

"Are you mad at me still?" I asked, taking a step closer to him.

"You know how I act when I am mad at you." He looked expectantly at me.

I thought about that. He'd yell at me a lot, and curse a bunch. But he wasn't doing that now. So no, he wasn't angry with me. Good.

"Okay." I breathed out a sigh while pushing back my hair but the strait curls just fell back onto my forehead. "The only cause for this is what I mentioned before. Our magic isn't in sync anymore. We made it this way and who knows, we may never get the ability to combine back."

"We'll figure it out, Yogi. There's no sense worrying about it now. Besides." I watched him lift up a hand and snap his fingers while moving his hand aside causing a trail of blue electricity to form," we still have our new elements." He finished.

The static disappeared. I found myself smiling at him. "You really know when to give advice when you have to, huh?"

He dropped his hand."Don't get used to it." He smirked.

"Sure." I continued to smile.

He turned back around and led the way.

Within another hour or so was when I first realized changes within the day. I noticed how dark it was getting and how the sun was losing it's vibrant yellow but instead had transfered to a dull pinkish orange. It was beginning to set over the horizon.

Night fall would be among us within minutes which meant the 12th day of my being here would come to an end.

I was mildly surprised at how fast the day had gone by and we still had half a mile to reach our destination.

We were nearly there but definitely would not be making it tonight.

"Gareki?"

His eyes looked up at my face. I pointed toward the sealing of the cave, specifically at one of the wide holes. He saw what I'd noticed and looked irritated.

"The day's ending but we can still make it for a bit longer," he grumbled, continuing to trudge forward.

I shook my head while dropping my arm. "Gareki you know just as well as I do that if we stay out in the open we'll run into trouble with these Spiritual Beast."

I could tell by the look on his face he knew what I was saying was the right thing.

"We need to find a place for camp before night fall." I pointed out.

He sparred one more glance at the sky before sighing exasperatedly. "Okay. Okay. We'll do that now."

A few moments passed before we found a camp ground and not a moment too late as the sun set bringing in the darkness which caused the vegetation to glow all around us.

We had found an abandoned hole where a den had been dug up by a Spiritual Beast. Gareki had gone in first to check if it were really empty. A minute later he poked his head out and ushered me to come in.

"We were lucky that we found a place to sleep that was closed of from the rest of the outside world." Gareki claimed as he ran a black fingerless gloved hand against the solid dirt walls.

"Yeah." I agreed while standing by the entrance, examining the wide space the den provided. The walls were rounded and the whole thing stood out like a circle perfectly fit for two people. I lifted a hand and jolted a fire from my palm and held it there so we could see.

My eyes trailed back to Gareki who was still trailing his hand against the wall. He was focused on it and I would guess he had forgotten I was standing in the same area he was in.

I leaned against the wall, continuing to watch him. The fire light from my hand gave his features a perfect image for me to see.

The way his hair placed itself over his forehead only slightly touching the lids of his eyes. The structure of his jaw. The point of his nose and lastly, the plumpness of his slightly full lips.

I wondered just then what it would feel like to kiss him. The willing or unwanted expression he would give me if he had wanted it to happen or not.

I needed him—no—I wanted him. But the timing wasn't right or rather I needed to man up and just tell him how I felt.

But thoughts of doing that sent chills through me. I wasn't afraid of Gareki but he could be very intimidating when he needed to.

Suddenly I felt a hand drop onto my shoulder.

My eyes came into focus and I saw him standing right in front of me. He looked aggravated.

"You really need to stop spacing out." Gareki sighed. His chilled breath fanned against my lips and neck.

I blinked a few times."Sorry. Uh, what were you saying?"

He pulled away from me. "I was asking if you wanted to make a fire for yourself but then I wanted to know why were staring at me? You had this odd look on your face by the way."

I felt my face growing warm at his comment. "No reason. I was just thinking about things is all. And yes, I would like to make a fire. But is it okay for you? I know you can't be too hot."

"Go ahead." He waved a nonchalant hand before walking away from me. He walked over to the wall that was farthest from the center of the den and sat down. He began busying himself by playing with his element over electricity.

I looked around the den and found all the necessities for a fire.

I gathered them up and placed them in order.

Kneeling down I made a circle with stones and placed twigs in the center with a few leaves.

I raised my hand above it all and lit a fire in my palm before throwing it down. No sooner had I done that, flames grew.

I stared at them for a moment before sitting back with a cross of my legs.

The silence grew between Gareki and I and I allowed it to. It was comfortable and I liked it. I lifted a hand and subconsciously ran it over my neck. My fingers trailed over sore skin. I stopped abruptly and ran my two fingers over it again.

I felt two small holes from where Gareki had bitten me yesterday during his urge for blood. They were nearly closed up.

But just like that a question came back to me. Gareki had left me wondering for hours now.

"Your past." I muttered. Gareki looked up at me blankly.

He gave me a questioning stare.

"Your past?" I repeated but this time I was asking him. "I know you didn't want to speak of it and I'm sorry for asking this again, but I'm curious."

He didn't say anything, just stared at me. So I continued.

But before I did I swallowed for the next set of words that would be passing my lips. I didn't know how he was going to react but my curiosity was set high. I couldn't back down.

He waited, face stiff and stoic and eyes keeping sight on my face. Now would be one of his intimidating moments. I lost my will to look him strait in the eyes and instead stared at his neck.

"Yesterday when you lost control over yourself because of my blood. The way you acted after all that—even before you bit me. You acted strange back at the river bank too after I had mentioned something you clearly wanted to keep hidden. I just wanted to know if in your past were you ever violated. You don't have to answer me if you don't want."

The silence after the question ate away at me. I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I was beginning to feel like the question had hit a nerve and Gareki wasn't going to answer it. I even thought he would yell at me, but more silence came between us.

I braved up and looked up until I could see his eyes. He wasn't even looking at me. His head was turned towards the wall, his eyelids lowered so that only half of is irises were showing.

"By violated you mean raped?" He asked quietly.

My eyes widened at that. I stayed quiet, too surprised to form words.

Had that happened to him? I tensed up for his next words.

"I wasn't raped if that's what you're thinking. But I almost was."

He closed his eyes and leaned the back of his head against the wall while tilting it up. He then began to tell me the terrible memory of his past of how he had almost been raped by an enemy king who had taken him away from his own kingdom along with other children who had been ordered to be killed but he had been the only one chosen to be taken up to the king's bed room.

As he explained what had happened in that room to me I kept staring at his face.

He was blank. He didn't show any pain or sadness or even disgust. He just kept talking until he reached the end. He lowered his head before opening his eyes. He looked over at me looking as if he hadn't just told the most depressing memory ever.

He may have said he hadn't been raped but still what happened to him hit me hard like a sledge hammer. I wanted to cry for him, I wanted to yell my anger for him, I wanted to avenge him and kill that king myself if the job hadn't of already been done for me.

I was mostly angry if not sad. But not at him obviously.

"How come you're not upset?" I found myself asking him.

He slowly shook his head. "I had all the time in the world to be upset by what happened. That was years ago,Yogi. Physically on the outside I'm over it but internally I'm not. I'm only slightly effected now."

I frowned. "What do you mean by slightly effected?"

He shifted his sitting by bending one of his legs up to his chest, placing one of his arms on top of it while keeping the other leg stretched out.

"I already told you about the things that happened with me and Karoku." He spoke softly, lifting up a finger he placed it on his temple. "What he did to me brought back some unwanted scenes from that day with the king. Some fear, you could say." He dropped his finger, placing his hand back onto his lap.

I stared at him quietly. I couldn't believe everything I had suspected that might have happened to him had actually happened. The only wrong thing about my suspicions was that he hadn't gotten violated. And I was undeniably happy about that but still ever so angered that something like that had happened to him.

"No wonder you acted the way you did when I brought it up. I'm sorry,"I said, focusing my sights down at my hands.

He stayed silent for a few seconds before speaking again. " My reaction hadn't been the best. You didn't know at the time. . .so. . . I should apologize too."

I looked back up at him, finding that he was biting his thumb nail in a some what shy manner. His eyes were casted away from me, instead held the wall's attention.

He was actually saying sorry to me. Wow.

I smiled a small one at that. "Apology excepted."

Next thing I knew the silence between us had been taken over by memories of his past. But not as depressing as the first.

I listened to him intently and carefully. I absorbed the new info from him, glad that I finally knew it. The anger and sadness in me dispersed but was still evident in the back of my mind.

He told me a funny one about his first ever hunting and how it had gone wrong thanks to his terrible aim at the time.

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. He didn't laugh with me though, but I could have sworn I had seen a small crooked pull on both sides of his lips. It was gone before I could fully focus on it though.

I wanted to hear him laugh. I was tempted for the sound of it. But he didn't let up. It was fine though. One day I would get it out of him.

I found out that he used to have an older brother but he had gone missing years ago and no one knew of his where abouts. Not even him.

He told me more about his kingdoms history and long line of ancestors who had taken the throne. He even explained to me he would've been getting married by choice of his mother's picking if he hadn't of gotten banished before the ceremony.

"I wasn't ready for it," he said flatly." And neither was the person I was marrying. We both would've gladly chose the person we wanted to be with for the rest of our lives. We didn't want it chosen for us. Over all it wouldn't have been a happy marriage."

I blinked in surprise. The next words weren't processed through my brain for second thoughts. "Would you rather be with a man?"

He immediately paused and gave me a 'what the fuck' look.

"What?" He asked taken aback.

"You heard me." I insisted boldly. The question was already out there, I couldn't take it back so why not keep going.

He didn't say anything for the longest of seconds. Still staring at me. He finally looked away but blinked a few times as if he couldn't grasp what I was asking.

"Um." He swallowed, "why would you ask me that?"

I made my face appear nonchalant so that it would look as if I weren't desperate to know his answer. "Just curious. You and Gabriel look like you could have had a thing going on—"

"Me and Gabriel are not like that. He's gay for me. We've been over this, Yogi." He crossed his arms, giving me a serious look now.

I nodded. My embarrassment for the things I was saying and asking still not expressing on my face. "Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Gay?"

He opened his mouth but didn't say anything. He genuinely looked confused. He shook his head slowly. "I don't know. . ."

"You don't know?" I asked, bewildered.

"Yes, I don't know. Why the hell are you even asking me all this?! How did talking about my past transfer into this? Is my sexuality really this important?"

I smiled at how flustered and surprised he looked. Another new expression I hadn't seen him make. He looked cute. But as soon as my smile came on he look irritated.

"Drop this subject." He ordered firmly.

"Okay. Okay. Calm down. I just got overly curious." I consoled while lifting my hands in defense.

He shook his head in annoyance before changing the subject. "One of us is going to need to stay up for look out tonight for Zeek and Zaphora."

"You stayed up last night so it's only fair if I do it this time,"

"Whatever." He waved me off before collapsing to the ground on his back with his eyes closed. "I'm sleeping now to rid those damn questions you asked me out of my brain. At least for a couple hours."

"Sorry." I whispered, still with a smile.

He didn't reply. Just stayed silent with an annoyed expression lingering on his face.

It was until I made it outside for look out that all the things I'd said dawned on me. I lost my smile and instantly felt embarrassment cross all over my face as it grew warm.

A part of me hoped he hadn't figured out my feelings for him because I was afraid for his reaction and answer but another part of me didn't care how he would take it and genuinely hoped he had figured it out.

The embarrassment I felt stayed on my face until morning but at least I had finally gotten him to speak about his past.


	18. Dispatched

**Music Choice— The Feeling— Justin Bieber ft. Halsey**

 **You Are To Me**

 **A Part Of Me Just Like Anatomy**

 **You're Pulling Me**

 **You're Pulling Me Like You're Gravity**

 **A/N:Happy Thanksgiving (if you celebrate it)**

* * *

 _Yogi's POV._ . .

I watched and waited as the peak of daybreak lit up the sky, finally. Blue sky mixed with a dull pink and yellow.

My eyes lingered on it for a few more minutes before looking away. It reminded me of how mornings were back in my kingdom. For an instant I got a sad feeling in my chest.

I looked down before shaking my head. "You stay up on look out all night and this is the first depressing thing you think of in the morning, Yogi? Lighten up." I whispered to myself as I pushed aside strands of blonde that had fallen in my eyes from me shaking my head.

I eyed the sky again with my arms crossed as my shoulder leaned against the wall.

I was doing that thing again Gareki had told me not to do. Thinking of the worse case scenarios. I needed to stop. I was only getting my hopes up.

I should've been thinking about the good things such as: my kingdom still not being fully taken over by Vileus, my sisters still breathing, or even the fact that my amulet was still around my neck.

Those were good thoughts that stirred my unease back to being comfortable and calm. The sad feeling went away. Now with it gone my thoughts returned me back to Gareki.

I had been thinking of him all night, none stop. He was stuck on my mind as well as the embarrassing conversation we had last night.

Just a thought of it made me cringe. I kept asking myself why had I asked him those things.

But I felt a weight lift from my shoulders now that I got that question off my chest. But still, he hadn't really given me an answer.

He had only said: "he didn't know" which meant he was obviously unsure. I found it odd that he had given me that answer. I was sure he would've said a proper response instead of giving me a cryptic one.

 _Maybe he does like a guy but is completely unsure if he wants to be with him? He could still be into women. That could be why he had said he didn't know._

I heaved a slow sigh. I just had to fall in love with a guy that was confusing to understand at times.

I gave the sky one last glance before turning around in the hole and carefully slid my way down. My booted feet touched the ground first after sliding. I stood up, reached behind myself, and shoved off dirt from my clothing before straitening out my button up shirt.

I looked down at it not really understanding why the center of the shirt at the bottom was longer —as in a triangular shape, almost stopping mid-thigh. It did the same in the back too. But the sides were shorter and curved upwards.

 _Why does it matter? It's just a shirt. Be happy and wear it._ Spoke my conscience out of turn, sounding annoyed.

"Okay." I whispered unsurely. I walked forward, heading over to Gareki to wake him so we could continue our trek to the water hole.

Oddly enough I felt great right now considering I had stayed up all night on look out. Nothing dangerous had really happened which I was happy for. I didn't feel like having to fight with a Spiritual Beast in the middle of the night. But I was let down for not having an encounter with both Zaphora and Zeek. I would've gladly gotten myself in a fight with them after what they'd done.

Guess my wishes would have to wait for another time.

On my way over to Gareki, I stopped short as I felt a wetness drop onto my nose. I blinked before reaching up and slowly wiped it away in confusion but no sooner had I done that another drop fell.

I looked up at the sealing and saw a crack in the dried soil, it was leaking water. I blinked before taking a small step back to prepare myself before the next drop fell.

I watched it fall right in front of me before dipping into a small puddle. I stared at it as it reflected some light coming in from the entrance hole.

I maneuvered around it in order to keep myself from getting hit with more drops of water. Crouching down, I slowly looked into the puddle. Soon seeing my reflection.

Another drop came and I waited for the water to stop rippling. Once it did I stared at myself, finding a shocked and some what unfamiliar face starring back at me.

I gasped as I jerked back. I landed on my butt with my hands supporting me from behind.

"W-what the. . ." I breathed shakily in a whisper.

I frowned at the puddle for a few seconds before regaining my composure. I lifted myself forward and ended up looking over the puddle again. But this time I was more reluctant.

What I had just seen I couldn't bring myself to conceive.

I looked down at myself carefully. But the person starring back at me looked different, older, handsome. He didn't look 19 anymore, maybe a few years older within the 20s.

I lifted a hand up to my cheekbone and slowly ran my fingers down to my jaw. My skin was clear but it had always been that way, it appeared that only my features had matured.

My hair was straight with only curls at my ears. It was sort of messy but still looked tamed. My cheeks had hollowed slightly and now were strait. My nose had become straighter too but not to the point where it was too out casted. My lips had become slightly fuller. Even my eyes appeared to have a different shade of violate to them. Darker.

The words in my head repeated over and over: T _his can't be me! This can't be me!_

But it was. The person in the puddle was making the same gestures and expressions I was making. I felt freaked out so I quickly looked away from the puddle and stared at the far wall instead.

Was there some kind of spell going on here that led me to believe I had transformed in appearances just over night?

Don't get me wrong. I look perfectly fine but. . .but it was just weird.

I stared down at my hands in surprise. "This can't be real."

I heard a shift of movement and an inhale of breath. I turned to see that Gareki had turned on his side, facing me now. He was still asleep though.

I eyed him. My sight trailed his body, soon coming to the hem of his shirt where it was lifted up, revealing his belly button. I saw a fine line of short black hairs leading from it until it reached and disappeared beneath the waist band of his jeans.

I crawled over to him, silently. I didn't want to wake him just yet. For now I would focus on him and worry about my sudden facial maturity later. But I wondered how he would react if he saw me like this.

I stared down at his face once I reached him. He had a few strands in his eyes. He looked so peaceful and. . .innocent. But mostly attractive. I knew that wasn't the only reason I loved him though.

It wasn't his looks I fell in love with. It was him entirely. Mind and body. That's what I found most alluring about him. He was just unique.

I lifted my hand to brush away the hairs from his eyes. But before I could even lay a finger on him his eyes snapped open, catching sight of my face. The slits in them dilating as soon as he had.

He reached up quickly and gripped my neck before forcing me down on my back with his weight on top of me. His other hand was snapping wildly with electricity, coming up close to one side of my face.

"You make any moves, I kill you." He spoke through clenched fangs. I stared up at his cold eyes. They were glowing bright blue in the shadows. A string of anxiety ran in the back of my mind. I had forgotten he always kept his guard up while sleeping. Just a simple breeze of a touch any where on his body, he'd wake up and instantly be on self defense mode.

But still. It was only me. He should already know that. Right?

But despite me thinking that, he kept a firm hold on me, and the electricity was becoming bigger.

 _What is he doing? Doesn't he know it's. . .me_. . .?

Suddenly the image of my own face came into mind. I didn't recognize myself so why would he? Now I knew how he would react to my new appearance. But I hadn't thought he would react this way.

He was going to kill me if I didn't identify myself now. I slowly lifted my arms and grabbed his wrist that was accompanied by a tight grip on my neck and pulled to try and allow some air into my lungs. But he wasn't having it. His grip was tight and relentless.

God he was strong.

The electricity was bright in one corner of my eye making me some what blind, but I could still see his face.

"Gareki. . . i-it's me. Yogi!" I rasped.

He glared, looking doubtful. "You expect me to believe —"

"My neck!" I chocked out. " L-look. . .on. . .my neck!"

His eyes moved away from my face after a few seconds of glaring at me. He didn't trust my words at first but as soon as he saw my amulet and how it glowed golden— a reaction it made from me being in danger—the cold look fell away from his face leaving behind shock and realization.

He instantly let go of my neck and got off of me. "Shit. I'm sorry." He gasped.

I inhaled strongly through my throat before coughing harshly. My amulet had wanted to shoot him out of protecting me, but luckily I had gained control over it before it could.

He watched and waited for me to catch my breath as he stood near me. After I had enough air in my lungs, I moved to my hands and knees and looked up at him.

"Why do I look like this?" My amulet stopped glowing after it was reassured that I wasn't in danger any more.

He stared at me for a bit longer, as if he couldn't believe for sure it was really me.

I didn't like that look. I wanted to feel like myself at all times but right now he was making me feel like a stranger. Like I was an enemy ready to lung and attack him.

"You can trust it's me, Gareki. I'm the only one in this realm who can control this amulet."

After I said that he visibly relaxed. He reached a hand out to offer me help to get up. I willingly took his offer and grasped his wrist just as he did the same to mine and pulled me to my feet.

"My realm is changing you. You grew older two years of age from what you were before." He explained.

I stared at him dumb founded. "So my appearance isn't 19 any more but—"

"21." He finished for me. "Yeah."

I opened my mouth to speak but words didn't form. I was still too surprised. This must have just happened because he hadn't reacted to it before. But if this world was going to change me then what else would happen to me.

I asked Gareki this but he just shook his head.

"I don't know. You'll have to wait and see. But nothing else will probably happen to you."

"Will I be getting older?" I tried to keep calm but that was some what hard to do.

I hoped he would say no. I didn't want to get older when I was still technically 19 years old when it came to my own realm.

But his answer wasn't what I wanted or what I did want. He wasn't sure again.

"You're the only Rimahakkian I've come across that had this happen to them," he said while straitening and wiping off dirt from his shirt. "I don't know what happens to you from here."

My shoulders sank. That wasn't good news. I suddenly became more aware of my life here in this realm. It hadn't crossed my mind that physical changes would happen to my body just by being here. I was beginning to get wary for my life.

"Okay." I breathed as an attempt to keep calm. "I shouldn't worry, right?"

He stopped what he was doing and looked up at me. And when I say looked. He held my gaze before briefly examining my face.

An odd expression came over his face then. He was transfixed on me. He suddenly looked in awe.

But as soon as the moment had come he blinked and suddenly was back to his regular self. Looking blank. He looked away from me.

"We need to go." He muttered before passing by me without answering my question.

"But. . ." Was all I could say before I turned and only saw the end of his tail disappearing up the entrance hole.

Had he really left me that quickly? I lifted a hand and trailed it against my cheek again. Was there something about my face that made him look at me that way.

I shook my head. We both just needed to get used to it is all.

I climbed out of the den and looked up at the sealing of the cave before bringing my eyes down to the map laying a few feet away from me on the ground.

My eyebrows creased in confusion. "What is that doing here. Gareki was supposed to be holding it."

Walking over to it. I picked it up and pocketed it before eyeing my surroundings. Right when I looked behind me I saw him being held in a choke hold by Zeek with a sword grazing beneath his chin a few feet away.

Gareki was glaring at me. A warning was in his eyes.

I quickly gripped onto my sword just as Zeek cut slightly into his neck. "Uh, uh, uh. Don't try and be a hero or else your friend here gets his head cut clean from his shoulders way quicker than you'll be of any help." He threatened deeply.

I glowered at him while reluctantly retreating my hand away from the handle of my sword. He was beginning to become a pain in the neck. I was aggravated I couldn't attack him like I so desperately wanted to do in order to have my revenge.

I gave Gareki a look and I read his expression as he gave me a silent message. I knew he could handle himself in this situation. We both could with our new abilities.

We were humoring Zeek on but when the time came. We would be ready.

So I played along as he silently instructed for me to do.

"Let him go, Zeek," I said firmly.

"I don't think so. We both know what I came here for. And I'm sure you know I will use force if you don't hand it over."

"Think about what you're doing," I said. "You may be thinking you have the upper hand in forcing me to hand over the amulet by using Gareki as bait, but you don't. I won't hand it over."

He blew out a short laugh but it didn't at all have any humor in it. "How brave of you to say. But once I cut into his neck, you'll be more than willing to hand it over. But even if this doesn't work we could move on to more drastic ways of getting you to give in."

I squared my shoulders."My will power is stronger then you think. It won't be easy to phase me."

Zeek glared harder at me. "Fine. But remember you're throwing away your own comrades life." He warned just as he moved the blade up. But Gareki was ready before the blade could penetrate his skin even further. He gripped Zeek's wrist that held the sword and gripped onto his arm that was wrapped around his neck before throwing his head back, knocking it right into Zeek's nose causing him to weaken his hold around his neck.

Gareki then flipped his body over his head and slammed him to the ground. Placing a foot on his chest while still keeping a hold on both his wrists. He snapped his blue-grey eyes to me. "Behind you!"

I whirled around just in time to see Zaphora throwing her whip in my direction. My amulet glowed golden as it formed a shield in front of me.

The whip slashed across it's surface. She scowled at her loss of hitting me before throwing it at me again, but this time it came from above.

I ran back and came out of reach before it could hit me. I turned back around to face her and saw that her whip was cutting through the air heading right towards me again.

It wrapped itself around my body in three loops. I could still some what move my arms though.

She smirked in triumph."At first I thought you were some one else. You've changed in appearances since yesterday." She pointed out as she walked over to me, keeping a firm hold of the handle of her whip.

"Yeah. I've noticed," I said, not really in the mood for chit chat this time during our fight.

I found an opening of my own attack and I quickly grasped the whip and sent a wave of my sun magic speeding down it's slack.

She let go of the handle but before she did she was shot with the blast and flew back before colliding against the ground. She had been too slow.

She moaned painfully as she slowly rolled onto her side. I took the time to see how Gareki was holding up.

Zeek had long since gotten back onto his feet. Gareki punched him in the face before grabbing both of his shoulders, brought him down and kneed him hard in the face before shoving him aside.

Zeek cursed in a whisper as he grabbed at his face.

"It hurts, doesn't it?! Maybe you'll think twice about using me as bait again, ass hole!" Gareki snapped. He turned his sights onto me before ushering me towards him with a hand.

I walked over next to him. He closed up the gap between us and whispered in my ear. "We need to handle them so that they won't come after us again. But we can't let them know or else they'll be expecting it." He insisted.

"You don't want to kill them?" I asked quietly, blinking in surprise at how close he was to me. My ear tingled by the feel of his cold breath and I blushed slightly.

"I would if it were easy. Zeek doesn't have any weak points where he stays dead for good. What about her?" He pulled away from me and his eyes trailed over to Zaphora who had finally gained her footing but was apparently still weakened from the blow.

I eyed her from the corner of my eyes. "She doesn't have any weak points either. She survived a strong hit from my amulet yesterday. Remember?"

"Right." He looked away from me for a second in thought before turning back. "Is there anything that amulet of yours can do to get rid of them?" He whispered as he searched my eyes with his, closely.

I thought about it. What could my amulet do about this. An idea popped in the back of my mind and it was perfect. The only problem was with only half my amulet it would take a few minutes to charge up enough power for it to work.

Zeek and Zaphora definitely had it coming for them.

"I got an idea, and it doesn't require us to be stealthy." I took off my amulet and held it out in my palm. "But you're going to have to hold them off while I make it work."

He summoned his glaive and pointed it out towards Zeek who had gotten to his feet. Now recovered from his beating. "Fine by me. I could kick some ass again." He assured all too seriously

"What are you planning?" Zeek asked dangerously.

"Something that'll send you both back where you came from," I said before closing my eyes and focused on only the crest in my hand. I disregarded Gareki and prayed that he could handle things on his own. But I knew he could.

I blocked out the sound of them fighting and trusted that my amulet had formed a shield around me for protection, just in case Zeek or Zaphora would throw any of their attacking spells at me.

I felt the amulet's power coursing through the veins in the hand that was holding it. It swarmed through my arm until it over came my body. It's power over whelmed me with a strong sensation. My breathing slowed as my heart beat vibrated in my ears, soon surrounding me with a loud thud each second.

It had been a while since I'd last performed this spell and this was the first time I ever had to charge up the amulet's power. But so far, everything was going smoothly. I could do this.

I felt it's magic pulsing wildly through me and I knew it needed to be stronger for me to do this spell correctly. So I put all my emotions into it and a few moments later It was ready.

I opened my eyes and saw that the amulet was glowing bright gold and so was I. I opened my mouth to speak my commands.

"No evil soul will touch this crest. I summon a vortex to dispose of the evil in front of me. Zeek and Zaphora and take them back to the dark lord, Vileus. I block them from coming after me in this realm ever again."

Zaphora threw a burst at Gareki but he ducked into a crouch and swiped her feet from beneath her. Causing her to fall just as cracks broke out from the ground.

The Earth suddenly opened up revealing a spinning vortex. She lifted her leg to try and kick him but he caught it and threw it back just as the vortex grabbed hold of her and sucked her in. She screamed before disappearing through the glowing, spinning waves of star dust.

Zeek made a move towards him but the vortex grabbed hold of his legs forcing him to fall flat on his stomach and get dragged closer to the edge of getting sucked in.

"This isn't over! You and your kingdom will die. And you'll never save it. I'll make sure Vileus kills you!" He yelled angrily as he clawed at the ground.

I ignored his words and watched him hold onto the edge as the vortex tried to drag him in but he wouldn't let go.

Gareki glanced at me and gave me a look of question. I read that look easily and nodded once in consent. He turned back to Zeek before throwing a bolt at his hands, forcing him to let go and be forcibly pulled through the vortex. No sooner had he passed through, it closed up. The Earth slowly reconnected as if nothing had disturbed it.

Then there was silence.

I closed my eyes and felt the amulet's power lower down until it no longer pulsed and surged through my body as intensely as it had. I reopened my eyes and saw that it was no longer glowing and I wasn't either. I placed it back over my neck before looking at Gareki.

He stared at me with his hands in his pockets. His glaive was gone.

He walked over before stopping right in front of me. "So I'm guessing they're gone for good?"

"They are. They won't be coming back for us any time soon."

He gave me a single nod before glancing down at the amulet. He looked some what irritable when looking at it. I wondered why.

"Gare—"

"Why didn't you use it?" He interrupted me, voice soft with a little bit of force. He crossed his arms. He gave me that same irritable look while looking up at me.

Confusion crossed over my face. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about,Yogi. Why didn't you use your amulet to return back home? You can open your own realm gate." He took a step away from me, a guarded look coming across his face now. "Are you secretly one of those Outsiders with bad intentions? And I actually believed you were good—"

"Gareki, you're getting the wrong idea. This amulet was made only for the purpose of dismissing evil and killing it off. That wasn't a realm gate you just saw. It was a vortex to dispatch evil. Even if I did make one for me it wouldn't work because I'm not evil. I'm an Outsider like you say but I'm a good one. We've been over this."

I watched him take a step closer to me. "Right." He uncrossed his arms and pushed his hands into his jean pockets once more. "I'm sorry. It's just. . ." he sighed.

"It's alright. You just got confused. I'm not offended. Just as long as you keep trusting me." I gave him a hopeful look.

He didn't say anything but gave me a nod. We stared at each other for a moment. I could feel my face pull into a small frown of confusion as I searched his eyes.

He leaned forward, keeping his eyes on mine. My mind went blank and I tensed as my conscience told me what he was going to do.

For a second I felt like passing out. But without asking I felt his hand reaching into my left pocket and snatch out the map before taking a step back to look at it.

I blinked and turned away. Of course he wasn't going to do what I thought he was.

"We should keep going," he said as if nothing had just happened between us, which nothing did but I had felt the spark of something more. He walked past me with his eyes glued to the map. I inwardly sighed.

Yeah and I just had to fall in love with a guy that played with my emotions without knowing it. I followed after him.


	19. Water Demon P1

**Music Choice— And The Snakes Starts To Sing— Bring Me The Horizon**

 **I've Lost A Part Of Me**

 **Tell Your Friends To Sharpen Their Teeth**

 **There's A Few Quid To Be Made**

 **And My Soul's A Sorry State**

* * *

Yogi's _POV ._ . .

The cave wall stood tall and over whelming. It had an entrance in the shape of an up side down V. I upturned my head to look at how big the wall was up close as Gareki and I came to a stop in front of it.

It went stories high with small ledges and a rough surface. We had stopped here but I didn't know why.

I looked back down to see Gareki folding the map and pushing it into his jean pocket. He then turned his head to look at me.

"We made it. The map says the water hole is in there." He gestured towards the triangular shaped entrance.

I took a step ahead of him and gave the dark cave an odd look. "So this is it? The water hole is in there?" I couldn't help but to make my voice sound doubtful. "Are you sure?"

"Are you scared?" He countered, while crossing his arms.

I turned to him. "Of course I'm not. Just trying to make sure. We don't know what's in there."

He walked up to me and patted me lightly on the shoulder twice all the while keeping his eyes on the entrance. "This is where the map led us. Even if Ivy set us up for another fight with some kind of monster, we'll be ready for it." He slid his hand off of me and began to walk through the opening of the cave.

I watched his back disappear in the darkness before following after him.

 _He's right, we'll be ready for another fight. At least we won't be encountered by Zeek and Zaphora again. Now we can fully concentrate on what's important without any interruptions._

As soon as I stepped through the entrance, darkness cloaked me but I could see with my nocturnal vision. I looked ahead of myself and saw the tattoos on Gareki's arms highligt into a glowing blue as well as his eyes as he formed a quick series of hand symbols.

I walked up until I was beside him. We both looked around at our surroundings. The walls were even more rugged inside. I lifted my hand and gently ran it over the wall's cold and bumpy surface.

The hard edges grazed against my hand but not to the point where I was bleeding. My finger tips ran over sparkling crystals lodged into rock. The crystals were all white varying in sizes from a finger nail or palm sized.

It was amazing. I hadn't seen anything like it before. And the blue glow coming off of Gareki's tattoos only made them sparkle more.

No wonder I hadn't seen this before, because I hadn't been in a cave back in my own realm. There it had wide open spaces of grassy fields and trees, nothing like this where it was caves that went deep underground.

But it was fine, I liked my realm just the way it was.

We continued to walk, the constant tapping of our boots echoing against the cave walls. Up ahead was a path that led to a thin open slit between two walls that had closed up and were connected at the top. My guess was that the walls had began to close into one another over time.

"Keep heading strait." Gareki instructed.

I did as told and soon we came to it. Gareki turned sideways and slid his way through the crack and I did the same, pulling myself out from the other side. I reached up and dusted myself off. Going through the opening had made a smear of rock dust on my chest. But with rubbing it soon came off.

Looking up I gasped as I saw a glowing pond of water with a few stalagmites surfacing up from it. The water itself was clear blue and glowed yellow-orange, green and turquoise against the stalactite sealing.

We had just stepped into an enclosed space fit for only the pond with a path circled around it. There was no where else to go, it was a dead end.

I walked forward, still eyeing my surrounding in amazement. The sight of the room was just as breath taking as it had been outside. The walls around us still sparkled from crystals causing the colorful lights to reflect all around the room.

I stared up at the sealing before my eyes caught something shining brightly in the bottom corners of my eyes. Slowly I looked down and saw the small object shining brightly in the clear water in front of me.

I looked over to Gareki who had walked away from me and was now on the other side of the cave examining the water with his hands.

"Are we supposed to go under water to fight the water demon?" I asked, stepping closer to the edge of the water and crouched down to put my hands in as well to find that shining object.

He looked up at me. "It didn't say on the map but it's a dead end. We don't have any other choice but to."

The water touched my skin with a cold moist sensation. I sunk my hands deeper into it's clear depths. The shining object had been buried under tan sand with only a small part revealing itself to me.

"I can't believe that," I said,"unless you can hold your breath for an inhumanly amount of time then we really do have a dead end on our hands to figure out."

He removed his hands from the water and placed his elbows on his thighs while still looking at me."I'm not human, first of all. And no, I can't hold my breath for a long period of time."

I brushed away the sand with 3 finger tips from the shining object. But that had caused the sand to swarm all around the my hand making me blind to see it. "What do we do from here then?"

I moved my hand blindly in search for the object. My index finger brushed against something solid. I reached for it and grabbed onto it just as Gareki stood up and gave me a confused look.

"What are you doing?" He asked warily.

"Hold on." I pulled on the object but it was stuck some how. I pulled harder but it still didn't come loose.

"Yogi?" Gareki asked forcefully. "Stop what you're doing, now."

I continued to pull on the object but this time I used both hands. "What's your problem, Gareki? I'm just—"

I yanked the object from the water and held it in my hands. I got splashed a little on my face but I wiped it off with my forearm.

I looked down at my hands and opened them up, I saw an odd looking jewel. It was beautiful but had a weird glow to it. It was a green light to a white jewel. And it appeared to be flickering.

Before I could examine it closely Gareki was suddenly in front of me. He snatched it from me and held it up to his own eyes.

I opened my mouth to ask him why he took it from me so quickly but he spoke before I could.

"Dammit Yogi. This is bad." He glared down at me before yelling. "This is why I told you to stop! This is an alerting stone now we're fucked unless we leave quickly!"

I blinked in surprise. I hadn't expected him to full out yell at me. "What are you talking about? An alerting stone?"

He sighed, clearly annoyed by my confusion. "You set off an alarm for who ever is guarding this area. Now that you found this and just **had** to pick it up, it's clear we're not supposed to be here."

I cringed. "Sorry."

"You should have listened. Now get up so we can—"

A bright white ball of light burst free from the water's surface, splashing water on both of us.

We shielded ourselves with our arms before looking at the big orb that floated on the water's surface. I blocked my eyes from the bright light coming off of it.

Gareki dropped the jewel. It made a clank as it impacted the ground.

I gave it a quick glance before bringing my eyes back onto the strange orb in front of us. I stood up and dropped my arm away from my eyes.

It was then the orb formed a door and snapped open. Water seeped out the corners as it did. The door slowly fell revealing people wearing blue armor.

To be more specific, it was a female with short blue curly hair standing in front of 5 men. The men were shirtless but had blue shoulder pads and armored skirts around their waists. They all each had some blue painted tattoo art some where on their bodies. Each of their faces matched to show stern anger.

The girl shorter then the men averted her blue eyes to me before pointing and ordered," Secure him!"

Two men quickly ran towards me with spears.

Next she ordered the other 3 to secure Gareki.

I focused on the two coming my way. They were big in muscular build. I ducked one of their quick strikes with the spear and threw a blast of light at him. He side stepped and aimed a strike for me again.

I scrabbled out of the way as he hit the solid ground instead. I moved to my feet and reached for my amulet. I held it out and sent 3 bursts of light at them.

One of the men was hit and was sent falling to the ground but the other used his spear to block away the blows. He then held it out and sent a fast and strong wave of magic my way.

I formed a shield at the last minute and was caught by the after wave. I felt my boots graze against the ground as I was pushed into the wall harshly. I grunted before dismissing my shield and sent another 3 bursts of light aimed at him.

The other gaurd got back up onto his feet but I was too busy with the guard in front of me to even notice him come up behind me.

My amulet glowed golden, warning me just as my thoughts told me to look behind myself. I whirled around but was struck with a burst of magic that sent me shaking back with an overwhelming force.

I stumbled backwards right into another guard's arms. He bonded my wrists together with silver bracelets before he gripped my arms tightly. My visions was blurred from the hit but it soon came back into focus and I realized my arms were forced behind me.

Both guards held me tautly under my shoulders and I struggled with trying to get away and to use my magic.

I couldn't feel it. Not a wave of power in me. Not even my amulet worked when I tried to summon magic from it. The thought of being powerless immediately sent a wave of fear down my spine especially since I didn't know who these people were.

I struggled even more. I jerked and wiggled for what my life was worth. But both the guards slammed me down to the ground, forcing me to be still. I cursed under my breath about to call Gareki for help but once I looked up I saw him being held by the arms by a guard, his wrists were bonded from behind.

All 3 guards were holding him at bay from attacking them as he faught with what he had. He too couldn't use his magic. His tattoos were no longer glowing but his eyes were.

I guess it was more of a genetic than magic use for his eyes.

He harshly shoved his foot up one of the guards crotches before forcefully elbowing another in the gut.

"Secure him! Now!" Yelled the girl again.

With that said one guard punched him in the cheek, forcing his head to fly the other way. I jerked at the blow even though I wasn't the one hit.

Gareki slowly glared up at him, fangs bared with a deep growl escaping his throat.

"Let go of me!" He snarled, and jerked quickly towards the guard that had punched him. But the other guard behind him held him back. "You're making a huge mistake!"

Another punch was delivered to his cheek and I felt the anger growing in me. "Stop it!" I yelled but my voice was ignored.

The girl took a step over to them and ordered,"Put him to sleep. He won't come with us easily."

"It'll be my pleasure." Spoke the guard that had punched him. Gareki breathed heavily as he lifted his head up to glower dangerously at him. His eyes daring the guard to hit him again. Hair was in his eyes as his mouth bled from the corners. He looked beyond pissed off.

"Don't you dare hurt him!" I shouted angrily. Once again my words went unheard. I watched the gaurd lift up his hand. It glowed dark red and he slowly lifted Gareki's shirt. He then just as slowly brought his hand up close to his abdomen.

The other two guards made sure to secure him so he wouldn't move but that didn't stop him.

"It's time for you to give in." Another gaurd spoke coldly. Gareki jerked trying a last attempt to get free from the strong hold on him.

"That's not what I want! That's not what I fucking want!" He shouted painfully as the hand touched his skin, burning him. "Let me GO!" He fought there strong hold on him but alas his struggles hadn't set him free.

He clenched his jaw as his eyes shut tightly. He threw his head back as he whimpered painfully.

"No please! Stop it!" I cried. I managed to lift myself up on my left arm but the guards harshly pushed me back down. Seeing him in pain like that made me ache inside. It was all my fault. I'm so sorry Gareki.

He snapped his eyes open but his iris's no longer had a glow to them. They were dull as they reach up to his forehead, nearly disappearing underneath his eye lids. His tense shoulders sagged downward.

The gaurd standing behind him let go of his arms and we all watched him fall to his knees before falling flat on his face. He didn't move after that and I wanted to cry.

He sure as hell better not have been dead. Even if she had ordered to put him asleep it looked like he had just died right in front of me.

Next thing I saw were feet stepping in front of my view of him. I looked up and saw her looking down at me with a hand placed on her hip.

"I'm glad that alerting jewel I placed went off or else you would have done your wrong doings to Metropolis. You're both under arrest for trespassing." She stated.

Gareki had been right to tell me to put it down. But Metropolis, hadn't he mentioned that city to me before? "Who are you? And why are you so quick to accuse us of doing anything wrong?"

"The name is Kiichi, not like it'll matter to you in a matter of time. And I'm not quick to accuse, I just know. No more questions. You'll have plenty of time to speak during court."

She looked at one of the guards holding me and ordered them to howl us into the glowing orb.

I watched them drag Gareki's limp body on board first before forcing me to my feet and walk towards it. I stepped into it as the guard still held me from behind.

I wondered what was awaiting me but before I could guess I was hit up side the head and blacked out.

* * *

I slowly opened my eyes only to see all white. It was glowing right in front of my eyes. My head hurt from behind and I couldn't bring myself to focus on anything.

My eyes slowly averted to the right of me and saw a hint of Gareki's arm wresting motionlessly on his chest.

After seeing that my eyes closed back up, pulling me back into the darkness but before it took me completely I said his name in a low whisper.

"Gareki. . ."

* * *

The next time I woke up my surroundings were different. It looked as if I were in another cave telling by the sealing, walls, and the solid ground. I was closed in some sort of room with a bared door. And beyond that door was a rounded hallway with one direction going left and the other going right. I saw another bared door on the other side of the hall and realized it was a cell.

But it was vacant

I moaned as I reached a slow hand up to my head as an aching thud bit at me from where I was hit.

"God this hurts." I whispered painfully.

But I was fully awake now and I knew I wasn't going back to the darkness anytime soon. I needed to get Gareki and find a way out of where ever I was. And maybe hurt a few guards along the way for even laying a finger on him.

I slid my hand from the back of my head onto my cheek before I felt something that made my eyes widen.

Slowly I pulled my hand away from my face and brought it in front so I could see it. But what I saw nearly made me scream. I held back from doing so though.

I examined the orange shiny scales on the outer part of my arm first and saw a fin leading from my wrist to the end of my forearm. It started short but at the end it got slightly taller.

I looked at my hand. Gingerly turning it to examine it entirely. It too had orange scales running up the back. I spread my fingers apart and saw webbed skin between each finger, coloured a lighter orange than the scales.

The same thing was on my other arm as well. The orange scales only on the outer part on both arms led all the way up to my shoulders.

Next thing I realized was that I was shirtless and my toned stomach and chest were staring at me. But once my eyes trailed down I noticed that more orange scales started right beneath my navel, sort of mixing into my skin like the scales were real and were attached to my body.

My eyes trailed further down and saw that each leg was covered in orange scales leading all the way down to my ankles. At the back of each thigh was an extra fin. But the most freaky thing was that I no longer had feet. They had each been replaced with a fin.

The fins were long. They started out an orange and ended with a yellow. I could see an indentation of my real feet beneath the skin but just barely.

I didn't specifically have a mermaid tail but mermaid legs which meant I could move them apart and both feet had their own fin.

I trailed my hand along my neck and as I expected I felt gills on either side of my throat.

I looked over at the wall and noticed it was made with black marble and I could see my reflection. I didn't recognize myself was the first thought I had when I dragged myself over to it.

As I looked at myself further I noticed two more things that had transformed about me.

I had a single fin on my back. It trailed my spine. Starting out an inch tall and ended 3 inches at my tail bone.

Last thing were my ears. They appeared webbed and pointed at the top. I no longer had an ear lobe.

I stared at myself a bit longer. Things felt surreal. I had literally just noticed my 21 year old facial features and now I had been turned into a. . .merman.

"I guess Kiichi found it necessary to turn me into this. I must be in that under water kingdom she mentioned."

 _Metropolis_. I thought.

A quiet grunt broke me from my thoughts and I whipped my head around, seeing a corner where dark shadows blinded me from where the noise had come from.

I gradually pushed myself up with my hands and came onto my knees before standing up only to fall right back down. I made a pained noise with my mouth and pushed myself up with one hand.

So I couldn't walk anymore. Just great. This day couldn't get any more worse.

I pushed myself up on hands and knees and faced the shadows. "Who's there?" I asked.

Thinking that maybe I could use my magic now to protect myself I reached up to grab my amulet but only felt my chest. My hand roamed over my collar bone, trying to feel for it but it was gone and I really was powerless.

My heart stopped beating for a few seconds as I realized this. What was I going to do when it came the time I would need it, now being one of those times.

My amulet was gone. The only key I had to saving everything I cared and loved. I needed to get it back and I had an idea that one of those guards had taken it.

I noticed familiar silver bracelets around my wrists. Seeing them made me remember as soon as they had been latched onto my wrists by those guards my magic had disappeared and I couldn't feel it or use it. And that was happening now. I couldn't use my magic with them on.

This day had officially gone worse.

Who ever was in the shadows hadn't answered me.

I dragged myself forward but stopped short once a familiar tail came into view. Immediately I crawled over to Gareki and pulled him out of the shadows.

But I paused once I saw the same transformation had been done to him to.

Everything that I'd examined about myself was done the exact same to him except his scales were a shining navy blue. My eyes trailed down his legs until they reached his feet—fins.

They started the color of navy blue before seeping into a lighter blue at the ends. Even as a merman he was attractive.

"Gareki? Can you hear me?"

Flashes of what had happened earlier to him came to mind and I hoped he was still alive.

I looked down at his abdomen. He was shirtless but I saw no injury from where that guard had burned him.

I hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder not caring if he lunged for me. At least he would be awake if he did it. But this time he didn't and instantly that made me rigid.

"Gareki?!" I yelled louder than I had anticipated.

His eyes snapped open and looked up at me. Wide eyed. He looked confused but didn't make any move to push me away.

"Don't fucking yell, idiot—" he said groggily but cut off once I pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Good, you're awake. I thought you were dead for a second. Those bastards had it coming for them if you were. You have to stop doing this to me. You have no idea what it's like for me when I see you not responding after something tragic happens. I already am losing things in my life but that doesn't mean you can end up dying on me!"

My voice sounded angry instead of mournful.

Silence came after that. I waited with my chin wresting on his cold shoulder not minding his frigid body temperature.

I stared at the far wall allowing an angry and sad tear to cascade down my cheek. He stayed quiet and so did I. He didn't push me away, even after this long.

"Gareki, please say something. Anything." I whispered the last word.

He still stayed silent and I sniffed.

"An action, a word. Just do something. . .I need to—ah!"

My eyes and mouth opened wide as the shocked moan left my throat from his fangs penetrating my neck.

 _Fuck. I_ thought as another tear left my eye. I bit my lip in the corner. I stayed perfectly still as I felt the piercing pain. A second later I yelped quietly as he pushed them in further.

I felt his tongue on my skin as my blood seeped out the two holes where his fangs were. The pain was gone leaving an aching pleasure behind. Closing my eyes I allowed him to drink.

"Gareki?"

A few second passed before he pulled away and sighed.

He wiped his mouth before looking at me. I stared at him as I pulled away, placing my hands on my lap.

He lifted a hand and wiped my tear streaks off my cheeks with his knuckles before pulling his hand away.

He gave me a serious look. "Don't cry in front of me, you're not going to lose me, Yogi. We've been over this. I'm a lot more stronger than you think. Now, lighten up because you need to explain where we are and this."

He looked down at his fins and scales and looked at mine before looking up at my face again with confusion.

I inhaled before cracking a small smile. Where was he all my life? He always made me feel better without really trying. "Alright. I'll explain to you what I figured out so far. But it's not a lot."


	20. Water Demon P2

Yogi's POV. . .

I sat against the marble black walls of our cell while watching Gareki.

He crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he lifted a single hand and massaged his temples before sighing.

The muscles on his biceps flexing as he pressed them to his chest. He too wore the same silver bracelets as me, I now noticed. Obviously the guards had taken away both our magic and weapons.

I still felt uneasy about the fact that I couldn't protect myself , neither him. But I knew we would get out of this cell and our new location somehow.

"So let me get this strait." Gareki began, cracking his eyes open." That blue haired girl with the guards took our magic, stole our weapons and clothes, turned us into mermen, and now we're under water in the kingdom of Metropolis about to go to court for trespassing? I don't know about that last one. We could be any where."

I stared down at the orange shiny scales tracing on my forearm. "I beg to differ, Gareki. And by the way, that girl's name was Kiichi. She seemed like a guard herself. Clearly she's trying to protect something. . . such as a kingdom. She wouldn't have mentioned Metropolis if it wasn't something she valued. You were knocked unconscious at the time but I guarantee you she mentioned it."

I waited for him to respond. Continuing to pear at his thoughtful expression. His eyes suddenly switched over to me as he dropped his hand away from his temples. "I guess you have a point. Plus it does explain why we look like this. Obviously our bodies were transformed to withstand life under water. But still, Metropolis? I hadn't thought it would be down here, so close to us."

He eyed the light blue webbed skin between his fingers before dropping his hand away from his eyes."This is all so fucking messed up. I really wish you hadn't touched that jewel. We would've probably been on their good side."

I looked down feeling guilty. He was right. "I'm sorry."

"Who knows if they'll choose to let us free, we might die today." He didn't even try to hide the bitterness in his voice causing me to feel even more at fault.

"We'll get out of this. . . .Some how." I consoled lowly.

"I'm all ears for a plan," He said.

"I wish I had one but they all contain on using our magic."

Gareki pulled at his silver bracelet. "Yeah well with these stupid bracelets we can't do shit. And here I thought losing the ability to feel your magical pulse would be all I'd lose and now I can't even feel my own. I feel so empty. It's so frustrating."

A small growl of disapproval erupted from his throat as he glared at the bracelet. He sounded like a cat with a deep tone.

"I understand how you feel. But I'm sure things will be fine." I offered.

"How can you be so sure? These people clearly don't trust us and if that's not enough, your amulet got taken, the most important thing to you." He looked back up at me.

 _Not entirely the most important thing to me._ I thought as my eyes averted up to his face.

"That doesn't mean we won't get out of this. I guess you could say I have a gut feeling about all of this. Besides, they'll let us speak what we have to say and then it'll go from there once they realize we're innocent."

He just stared at me with that serious look. But it wasn't as evident as it had been last time he gave me a look like that. Maybe he found closure in what I was saying.

His eyes searched mine as 5 seconds passed with us still staring at one another. I couldn't tell what he was thinking despite my ability to read him better now than when we initially met.

The space of silence was growing wide so I took the initiative to break it.

"By the way. . ." I trailed off softly.

"Yeah?" He looked expectant, prompting me to continue.

"When those guards forced me down to watch you get ganged up on by those other guards. Something snapped in me then. I felt heated and angry and I really wanted to help you. But. . ."

"Stop." He shook his head slowly. "I told you, I'm fine now. " But I continued.

"I couldn't do anything but watch!" My eyebrows creased. "I saw everything. The anger and pain on your face, vengeance. And then I thought—"

"Yogi." He warned but I still kept talking. I felt as though I were running out of breath as each word passed my lips. Each term holding more angry emotion than the last.

"I thought that I needed to kill them in the most horrible way for causing you so much pain. They shouldn't have fought you like that. You don't know how much I'd like to make them feel the same pain you —"

"Hey!" Gareki yelled and suddenly I snapped back into my sanity and controlled the adrenaline of anger going through me.

I realized his hands were holding tightly onto my shoulders and we were close, inches apart. His eyes held mine sternly.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked. "Calm down."

I sucked in air slowly from my lips to calm my nerves. I shook my head. "Sorry. My temper has been flaring up some what easily. I think it's because of that fire element I have."

"But our magic's gone." He frowned.

"It's still in us but I guess we can't feel it because of these bracelets. It still takes effect to my body even if I can't feel it."

"Weird," he whispered before speaking louder. " I hope you keep that temper of yours under control because we're going to be escorted by guards to court. I don't need you making this situation even worse."

I nodded. "I won't be making any promises. Because Gareki If they hurt you I don't think I can hold back."

He pulled away from me and stared, looking taken aback. He shook his head slowly. "It's funny." He muttered.

"Huh?" I gave him a confused look.

"It's funny." He repeated, looking away from me. "Because you're literally the first person who's showed so much worry for me. Usually I always take care of myself so no one worries about me. But you. . .you're different. So, I find that funny."

I blinked at him. Was he being serious. I was the first and only person who acknowledged his well being. How was that even possible. "Not even your own mother?" I asked.

"No," he said flatly. "It's only been you."

Avatar's were really something. How could his people be so cold.

"Gareki I'm—"

"You don't need to say sorry." He interrupted with a raised hand. "I'm used to it and I allowed it to happen. I don't really care."

"Well I think you should." I blurted. "Something like that is just. . .just. . ."

"Selfish, cruel, cold hearted, empty? The list goes on." I watched him sit back against the wall and cross his arms. "You think it's one of those things?" He asked.

"I think it's all of them. How can you not be affected by that?"

"That's just how things are in my kingdom. I learned to except it."

"Well I'll always care about your wellbeing, just know that," I offered softly.

He didn't say anything. But I could tell he appreciated what I'd said.

Suddenly there was the sound of water rushing against the walls from a distance. He noticed it too. We both looked at the cell door only to see a wave of water from both sides coming our way.

On instinct I held my breath, thinking that I couldn't breathe under water. Gareki didn't have time to move as the strong wave of salt water came barreling through the bars of the cell door. He fell back as water rushed into our cell.

The strong wave held me against the wall, starting at my naval before reaching up to my chest and then swallowed my entire head under it's cold depths.

My nose and ears had pressure against them. I opened my eyes seeing bubbles float up to the surface from my nose and mouth.

I suddenly remembered the gills on my neck and released the remaining air before slowly and nervously breathing in water.

I thought I would choke at first but I didn't. Water slipped in and out easily and I could breathe smoothly. It felt. . .natural.

I looked up at the sealing, seeing that the water level had completely filled the cell. I looked back down and saw Gareki moving his arms in a stroke. He pulled himself upright before moving his legs, one going up and the other going down. He swam smoothly over to me.

"They're coming, I can hear them." He told me.

"No wonder they put water in here." I confirmed as I moved my arms up before bringing them down causing my body to instantly float upwards. Next I moved my legs the same way as Gareki had and maneuvered around him before gripping the bars on the door as I looked out. I could hear them too.

It was odd how clear sound was under water. My transformed ears definitely played a part in this. I could hear the medal of armor coming closer to us.

I held tighter to the bars as a string of anger awoke inside of me. The guards were coming. I wanted my vengeance on the ones who'd hurt Gareki.

Apparently Gareki could tell because next thing I knew he had placed a firm hand on my shoulder giving me this knowing look as if he were silently warning me not to do something I'd regret.

I inwardly sighed. As much as I wanted to get my payback it would suck if I got us in even more trouble.

I turned back to looking outside of our cell and saw 5 guards round the right hall. They were still in blue armor with skirts but a change had happened to them too.

Instead of legs they each had a tail. All ranging in the colour teal green. One of them held a long silver spear and he was the one to step aside as the 4 guards unlocked the door and grabbed hold of me and Gareki.

Cuffing our wrists behind our backs before pushing us forward out of the cell.

The guard with the spear swam ahead of us, leading the way. "Let's go," he said. I scowled at him. I recognized him being one of the guards from last night who had burned Gareki. My eyes stayed focused on him as he passed by.

Gareki and his two guards went ahead of me. And my two guards ushered me after them. I reluctantly allowed them, remembering the warning look Gareki had given me.

"Are you taking us to court?" I found myself asking what I already knew but I wanted to make sure.

"Our majesty has requested to see you both. She and our king has decided to question you both privately without the entire kingdom witnessing." Spear guard informed.

"What a grand welcoming." Gareki muttered sarcastically, clearly not liking that idea.

The guard with the spear stopped. Causing all of us to stop as well. He turned to Gareki and glared as he came up inches away from his face.

"Would you rather be questioned with a crowd watching?"

Gareki didn't falter under his hard stare. Instead he returned his glare. "No, I don't want to be here at all. I told you once you were making a big mistake arresting us."

"Oh?" He mocked while pulling away. "What kind of mistake am I possibly making?"

"You're arresting the prince of the Ice Castle, me." He stated firmly, jaw clenched. "You need to let me go, as well as him." His blue-grey eyes averted to mine before turning to the guard again.

The guard eyed me with his bottom jaw cocked to the left. He then eyed Gareki again. "You're a damn liar!" He smacked Gareki with the butt of his spear.

I lunged forward and managed to get loose from the two guards holding me. I couldn't hold back. I landed a good hit on him with a shoulder underneath his chin. "Don't call him a liar!"

"Dammit, Yogi!" Gareki scolded, nose bleeding. "Control you damn anger."

"You knew I wouldn't be able to hold back, I told you already!" I yelled back. Both guards grabbed my arms and yanked me towards them.

The guard with the spear recovered from the blow and glowered at me dangerously. He swam up to me coming up close but before he could say anything a female cleared her throat.

Everyone paused before turning to see Kiichi. She too no longer had legs but a tail but unlike the guards it was a shining royal blue. She had an armored corsette as a top with silver arm bracelets.

She placed both hands on her hips. "What is all this? I thought I told you to hurry and bring them. The queen and king doesn't like to wait. And now all I see is a fight about to break out."

"We're sorry, General," said the guard with the spear, bowing. "These prisoners are causing us some trouble."

I tightened my jaw.

"What kind of trouble, Anius?" Kiichi asked austerely, still visibly vexed.

Anius pointed his spear towards Gareki's head. "He says he's a prince, so is the blonde one, I doubt that."

She crossed her arms and stared Gareki down. " I doubt that too. She pushed forward, coming up to him. "We'll have to discuss this topic with Queen Sirena and King Asherrot."

She backed away. "Let's head to the throne room." She turned and flicked her tail, souring through the water.

The guards moved Gareki and I after her. Once we came out of the cell chambers my eyes widened at how big the castle was. Everything was merged in water but that didn't hide away the rock carved walls and statues of art.

The sealing was high and dome shaped with big arched widows circled around it. Curved designs were carved into the rock along the rim of the dome.

I looked ahead of myself and saw a wide hall with rounded walls, like an oval. It led into a strait hallway before switching back into an oval shape again. It led strait down to 2 big doors with 2 guards on either side with spears.

Archways lined the hall strait down with blue flags draped on each of them with a white symbol plastered in the center.

Entirely the interior of the castle was dark blue from the water causing a few shadows in corners.

I didn't like being here, same as Gareki. It gave off a bad vibe. Maybe that or the way theses guards handled us. Whatever, I just didn't want to die today. I needed to control my anger. That was important.

I needed to hold it back even if Gareki got hit again. But even I knew that was easier to think then done.

A minute later all of us were in front of the the big doors.

Kiichi stopped in front of us. "Let us through." She ordered. The 2 guards nodded once before pushing the gates open.

I felt the water shift around me as they did so. I watched the back of Gareki's head as the guards finished pushing the doors open. I looked up to see two stair wells leading up to a higher deck where the king and queen sat in their thrones. Behind the 2 thrones were 3 arched windows letting in blue light, just enough to brighten up our sights.

The room was big. Unlike outside the entire throne room was made of black marble. It shined against the light coming in from the windows.

Pillars were off to my left and right leading in a circle till each line reached the stairs.

Kiichi turned to all of us but when she spoke she was talking to Gareki and I. "This is where you both either die, face trials, or live freely. Let's see if you're innocent or not."

She turned and pushed forward with us being shoved after her. We were innocent, we needed to prove that to both the king and queen. But if things went wrong I needed a plan. . .

We all stopped in the center of the room. The guards holding Gareki forced him down to his knees before my guards did the same to me.

Kiichi floated in front of us, with a strait back. "King Asherrot and Queen Sirena, I present to you the trespassers who were found on the surface. They found one of our entrances to the kingdom. They claim to say that my guards have made a mistake in capturing them for court. But they were trespassing. I don't think they have any rights for innocence."

I looked up at both the king and queen and examined them.

King Asherrot was broad shouldered and had long strait hair that was a mint green that waved down his chest in a side ponytail. His eyes were pure blue and bright. He was shirtless with a toned chest and stomach. His arms had dark green mixed with blue scales running up the front. On both biceps he had silver bracelets that matched the silver necklace from his neck.

I looked down at his tail and lastly noticed the colour of it being dark green with a hint of blue scales here and there.

Next I looked over to Queen Sirena. She was beautiful. She too had long strait hair. But her's was light pink and flowed down her shoulders. Her eyes were a clear green. She was wearing a white flowing see through top but underneath was a bra that matched her tail which was white as well.

She had golden earrings dangling from her ears along with a neckless that matched her husband's. She stared down at me and Gareki, her face was expressionless.

I didn't know what to expect from either of them. Oddly enough this gave me daja` vu of the time I'd been taken to see Gareki's mother who was intimidating and automatically made the room colder once she entered the throne room. But with these two I just didn't know.

We're they going to be cruel like Larisa or give me and Gareki a chance to explain and actually listen to what we had to say.

Subconsciously I gave Gareki a glance but he didn't notice me. He was focused on the King and Queen. I turned back to them both and waited for them to say something.

Queen Sirena continued to pear down at us, so did King Asherrot. A few seconds passed before anyone said anything.

"You both have committed a great crime," said the Queen sternly, her voice was strong and loud as it echoed around the wide room. "Last time the people from the surface trespassed one of our entrances they broke havoc to our kingdom. The damage was severe and many of our people died that day. 2 years ago since that day and we're still scarred from that event. Now tell me. Are your intentions to kill me and my husband?"

"Of course not your majesty." A firm voice admitted.

I glanced at Gareki again. I never heard him speak that way before.

"You're misunderstanding our intentions. We didn't come here to cause any trouble. Honestly, we didn't know your kingdom was down here." He continued, politely.

"State your name and tell us what your true intentions are." Spoke King Asherrot.

"My name is Gareki, prince of the Ice Castle. I'm among the Avatarian people."

Immediately after he said that everything froze. It grew quiet. Queen Sirena stood up from her throne and pushed down till she reached Gareki. Pink hair flowing behind her. She stared at him oddly as if she had seen something unbelievable.

Reaching forward with a single hand she held his head upwards by the chin and examined his face.

He didn't jerk away he just allowed her to touch him. She ran her thumb along his cheek and her face softened.

"You do have the gorgeous appearance of a prince but what proof do you have for such a claim of royalty?"

"I have a royal mark on my chest." He pressed.

She looked down at his tattooed chest. He had swirls and curved thick lines of tribal tattoos but she didn't find it difficult to locate the royal one. It was a symbol that stood out from the rest.

She looked closely and gasped softly and straitened her posture. "My word, you are a prince. Further more you're Larisa's son. I'm terribly sorry for this misunderstanding. Guards un-cuff him."

I watched both guards take away his shackles and he straitened up, rubbing his wrists. "You should be, your guards and your general were way too quick to assume we were bad." He accused hotly.

Queen Sirena glared at Kiichi who flinched into a straiter stance. "I apologize my Queen. I didn't realize sooner." She blurted quickly.

"You shall be punished later for you judgement, Kiichi." King Asherrot claimed as he too rose from his throne and came down to Gareki and I.

"I'm sorry for this. What can we do to make it up to you?" He asked Gareki.

Gareki flexed his fingers in and out as he looked down at them. At that second I saw a spark of electricity zap from his finger tips. He looked at me before turning back to the King and Queen. "First of all, I want you to release him." He pointed at me. "He's a prince too but from a different realm."

"A different realm?" Asherrot asked as he waved at the guards to let me loose.

Gareki crossed his arms. "He's an Outsider but he's harmless. He won't cause you or your kingdom any havoc."

I stood up as the bracelets were taken off of my wrists and as soon as they were I could feel my magical pulse again. It coursed through my entire body. I felt at ease now knowing I could defend myself, but still. I wanted my amulet and my sword at my hands reach.

I wanted to ask for them but Gareki interrupted me. "Secondly I want pay back against one of your guards for burning me and hitting me across my face. I don't appreciate that happening to me at all."

Queen Sirena looked surprised but gave in to his request, as did Asherrot. "Which guard was it?"

Gareki turned his head and glared at Anius. " That one. Anius was it?"

Anius gripped his spear and returned his glare. "How dare you claim to put a finger on me in my own kingdom?" He turned to his King and Queen." You aren't going to allow this. Are you?"

It was the King who spoke. "It doesn't matter what type of situation it is but you do not inflict on royalty."

"I'm sorry my King and Queen but I'd gladly do it again!" He lurched forward with his spear heading strait for Gareki. But he caught it before it could even touch him.

Anius pushed but Gareki held onto the spear tightly with one hand. "Big mistake." He whispered before freezing the spear. Ice trailed down until it reaching Anius's hands, trailing down his entire body until he was frozen whole. Gareki then yanked the frozen spear out of his hands, whirled around and cut right through his body. Ice broke and floated apart once he made the harsh incision.

He killed him right in front of the King and Queen. I had thought he would only hurt him but not full on end his life. I was about to ask what he was thinking but then I noticed that Both Sirena and Asherrot didn't look bothered by his ruthless actions.

Gareki let go of the spear. Watching as it slowly fell to the ground. He then turned to look at them both.

"He was hot headed, often. He would've never been a perfect guard. He saw things his own way." Sirena traced a finger on her long hair.

"Agreed. It doesn't surprise me why he chose to attack you without being given the order to do so." Asherrot pointed out. "I'm rather glad he's no longer a bother in this castle."

Sirena sighed. "Let us get back to the main topic of why you both were trespassing in one of the entrances to our kingdom. Why were you both truly there?"

I turned towards the Queen."We were both on a mission to gather runes for a spirit so he can free our friend." I replied. The King and Queen both looked at me in question.

"Who are you?" Asherrot asked.

"My name is Yogi, I'm prince of the Sun Kingdom. And yes I am from another realm like Gareki has told you."

"How did you come to be here?" She asked.

I explained to them the story I'd been telling everyone who had asked me the same question. They looked at me fascinated after I'd finished.

"How awful of a story and how brave of you to keep moving forward in your trek." She said in amazement. "So my guess is you need to gather these runes quickly so you can get where you need to go?"

"That's about it." I answered.

"What runes are you after?" King Asherrot asked.

Gareki answered before I could. "We already have the foxen rune but now we're after the water demon rune. We had a map and a list that's been telling us where they're located and which ones we need next. But we lost it once your guards attacked us."

"Actually." Kiichi spoke up as guards came in with a long tray of our belongings."I had your things confiscated. Even this map of yours. Not your clothes though. I left those up on the surface. But your weapons are also here along with other things".

The foxen rune and Gareki's glaive I noticed was on the tray as well. I found it odd to see them though.

Gareki would have to summon those, so how were they sitting on the tray? I asked her this.

"Anything that can be put away in a time warp can just as easily be taken out by a certain crystal we have here. We had to take everything off of you both just to keep ourselves safe." She answered. "Nothing you summon from a time warp with your own spells can be kept from us."

Gareki and I floated over to our belongs. I dropped my amulet back over my neck. Feeling it's power swarm within me again before replacing my sword holster and my sword at my hip. It was good to have them back.

I watched Gareki pick up his glaive and made it disappear before picking up both the rune and the map. Even under water it's paper and ink looked flawless. It was truly magical.

It was when he flipped the paper over to the list when it suddenly occurred to me. I remembered him telling me that the foxen rune we had was written with the language of Neptus and the people in Metropolis could speak it. Maybe it was that way for all the runes.

Without asking I grabbed and took away the rune from his grasp and held it out to Kiichi. "This rune is written in your language, can you decipher it for me?"

She looked down at the rune. A second later she reached and grabbed for it. She stared down at it for another second before looking back up at me. "It says: I call apon."

I glanced at Gareki who was looking thoughtful again. "That must mean something. We can't over look that as nothing."

"We already confirmed that these runes were used for some kind of puzzle Ivy wants us to figure out." I insisted to him. "We just need to piece them together. The runes I mean."

"Deciphering them?" He asked quietly, though he was talking to himself rather than anyone else. He crossed his arms as he looked at Kiichi. "Do you think you can translate all the runes on this list in English. All runes were made in your language right?"

She nodded."All runes are written in our symbols even without seeing the symbols I can still read what they mean just by their titles. Let me see your list."

He handed it over and she titled them off by each rune before speaking their meanings.

"All guardians of the runes to open these walls and save our souls." She finished.

"That's it?" I asked skeptically. "All 3 runes say that little?"

"Yes. From so many symbols it still could only be a little amount of words then what you're thinking." She informed.

Gareki spoke up." So the whole thing reads. "I call apon all guardians of the runes to open these walls and save our souls? How is that effective for a puzzle?" He shook his head.

"We might need to say it at some point," I said.

"Yeah, maybe." He agreed. "But right now we need to get that water demon rune."

I looked back at the map in Kiichi's hands."Where are we going to find it?"

"It's inside a living water demon." Kiichi stated.

"We know that part,"Gareki said." I already had to fight off a foxen just to get the foxen rune. It might as well be the same method for the rest of them."

"You actually plan on fighting the water demon?" Asked Queen Sirena.

We all turned to her and I answered,"We have to, remember."

Her face as well as King Asherrot's turned stony. "You two might be the strongest to defeat said demon." He started," but all of the guards I've sent to kill that beast have all died in the end. I feared there wouldn't be anyone strong enough to fight it off. Maybe you 2 can?"

"I'll fight it," Gareki said while taking back the map and the foxen rune from Kiichi's grasp. He did that thing again where he put them in a time warp.

Both King and Queen looked at me for an answer.

I nodded. " We'll fight it."


	21. The Encounter

**Music Choice—Take It All—Ruelle**

 **A/N:Okay I'm finally back. So sorry for my abcense. I had to take midterms for my highschool and studied a bunch. But I'm free for two weeks of winter break which means more chapters will come quicker. Thanks for your patience I appreciate it!**

* * *

 _Gareki's POV. . ._

I threw my glaive outwards, striking nothing and aiming at nothing. Despite the water surrounding me, it moved easily and relentlessly with my arm, in which I was holding it with my left hand while my right arm stretched out, hand strait, fingers pressed together as I floated in a striking stance.

My black hair slowly trickled in front of my eyes. I ignored it as I whirled around, now pulling my weapon above my head before swiftly bring it down. Once again, it defied the water, coming down in a quick sweep as if cutting through air.

My magical pulse gave out a flutter in my chest then. Giving me the assurance that it was still at my menipulation. It was good to have it back. Honestly I wondered how much longer it would take for me to go nuts without the protection of my magic at my command.

The water shifted around me from my movements and I was suddenly more aware of what I was for a temporary time. Slowly I straitened my posture and reached a hand up to my face and saw the royal blue scales against my natural skin. It was surreal.

I felt like an Avatar but now. . . I was this— something added on to what I actually was. It didn't feel right. Maybe because I didn't like the new transformation. But It's purpose was made to keep me alive under water so I'd have to deal with it until Yogi and I got back to dry land.

I dropped my hand back down to my side as I eyed the training room Kiichi had showed me. She had said it was best that I established movement underwater and learn how to maneuver my weapon since I was going up against the water demon.

Yogi on the other hand hadn't come with us. King Asherrot and Queen Serina wanted to know more about him, snagged him up for a talk before he could even leave their throne room. They found his whole realm transportation story fascinating and the fact that he was a good Outsider peaked there interests to. So interesting they had been talking with him for a whole hour now.

Yeah. I kept track of the time since he'd been gone. I had surprised myself when I realized I was taking tabs on every second of every minute that passed within his absence. But I cared. . . And that was enough to worry about him.

My eyes glanced at the 2 guards standing by the entrance. They were staring at me, still. I'd felt their eyes on me ever since I entered the room and they hadn't laid off of me since.

To bad I couldn't have a vacant place to train. These 2 were beginning to piss me off. They both had been giving me this wary look as if I were still the enemy. Clearly the title of my royal status didn't catch their ears by my explaination to both the King and Queen.

I continued to pear at them in the corners of my eyes. The thought of Anius came to mind suddenly.

I was glad and didn't feel guilty for killing him right in his own kingdom. Hell, I wouldn't feel anything if I did it to theses 2 now.

I was a prince of the coldest and die hard kingdom in the entire Arcial Realm. I wanted respect and if that meant doing something risky, I'd sure as hell take the chance.

I snapped my head in their direction just as my eyes wielded themselves to glow behind the strands of my flowing raven hair. My free hand's fingers that weren't occupied with holding my glaive curved inwards at my side into a fist. That was when a shear wave of cold left me and headed strait for them. Frost left my body. Sweeping through the water in a half wave of teal blue light.

They looked confused for a second. An innocent reaction that everyone seemed to make if they didn't know my element over ice; but once they felt the cold a thick coat of frost gradually up structured their bodies starting at their tails.

I watched with a stone face as their expressions constricted with pain and distress. I didn't blink, I didn't flinch, I just stood there. . .and watched. Remorse not being a burden in the back of my mind.

The ice—my ice—crawled upwards against their chests, freezing their arms so they were no longer useful.

They were almost completely engulfed with frost and nearly frozen whole into ice statues. They struggled and gasped for inhalants of water. I didn't allow them to have it.

My eyes squinted angrily at them.

Suddenly Yogi's voice said my name. I turned and looked at him in the entrance way. He was alone. He looked at me first but then his eyes trailed over to the guards, confused. But he knew what I was doing was wrong.

My face fell away from anger to realization.

I anticipated his words before he could finish his question.

"What are—"

I unfroze the guards with a snap of my fingers. The sound flowing closely in my ears. "Nothing." I shot two of the guards a hard glare, silently warning them to keep quiet about what just occurred.

Last thing I needed was for them to go rating off to the Queen and King about my vulgar behavior. If they knew I'd tried to kill 2 guards all because of their stares, my head would be in trouble. They may have let me kill Anius but I doubted they'd let a pair of guard's deaths slip. Especially since they were innocent. Unlike Anius who deserved his ending.

I turned back to Yogi, making my glaive disappear before crossing my arms. "How long have you been standing there?" My voice was strait and flat as ever. Not really feeling nervous of how he'd react to my obvious actions.

He looked at the guards before giving me a knowing look that silently scolded me. He may have been mad at the guards that had hurt me but he wasn't angry at all of them, I guess he knew these 2 hadn't done anything physically wrong to me. "I just got here." His voice was even, not holding a harsh tone that hinted what I just did was wrong. Surprisingly.

I let the look slide as if I hadn't noticed. He swam towards me. "How's training?"

I felt my eyes tap into their natural color before answering. "Easy. Movement under water isn't difficult with a weapon."

"I should try it." He gripped his sword handle and pulled it out before making a fast strike with it. His hair flowing away from his forehead as he did. "Huh, it is easy." He agreed while lunging forward with his sword again. "I think it has something to do with the state our bodies are in."

I watched him, closely, and ignored his statement as I changed the subject. "How'd your hour long talk go?" The words came out before I could check them. Yogi paused with his eyes wide slightly. He totally hadn't expected me to say that and I had hoped he wouldn't notice but he had gotten observant with my words all of a sudden.

He turned to me. "You kept track of the time I was gone for?" Disbelief was edged into his voice by a small amount.

I bit my tongue, allowing the sharp jab both my fangs gave to the weak flesh. Fuck me and my big mouth. "Well it mattered." I shrugged nonchalantly," I can't bring myself to trust this place completely. We just met the King and Queen." I said the last part quietly so the guards in the room wouldn't hear. "They could've done something to you without me knowing."

He wiped the back of his hand casually on his mouth in an attempt to hide the growing smile on his lips.

He definitely took way too much liking in the nice words that slipped my mouth.

"My talk with them went fine." He assured. "Nothing happened, I doubt they'd have any bad intentions for us since we both are princes and we offered to kill the water demon. But thanks for taking the defensive for me." He winked before turning away and began striking his sword out again.

I rolled my eyes at the flutter of. . . affection. . .that had been caused by that simple gesture of his. My new emotions couldn't get any more ridiculous. Same as his curiosity.

Those damn ludicrous questions he had asked me last night. I shook my head in disturbance.

I didn't know for sure what I liked anymore. But why would he ask something as personal as that to me—

"Whatever," I said, more forceful than I'd intended as I broke free of my thoughts of him asking me if I were gay or straight. "It's just in my nature not to trust so quickly after the first meeting. You never know what might happen."

"I know that aspect about you all too well." He retorted, losing the smile. "Ever since we first met."

I recalled my attitude towards him at that time. I didn't want to have anything to do with him, all that mattered to me was getting away from him and returning back to my castle then the next thing I knew I wanted to kill him. He had a point. I wouldn't admit it though.

"Where's Kiichi? I asked, deciding a change of topic would get us on more important matters at hand. "Last time I checked she was supposed to be leading us to the ruins of their old kingdom to fight the water demon."

Yogi struck forward again before turning to me. "She is, but she told me she had to give us something first and left me here with you."

"She didn't tell you what that something was?" I asked dubiously as I cocked my head.

He shook his head."No."

"I wonder what she could possibly think to give us besides an apology for capturing us." My voice was resentful. She was the main one who'd forced her men on us in the first place. She had been lucky that I decided to kill Anius instead of her.

Apparently Yogi could read my mind because the next thing he said sounded close to what I'd been thinking.

"She may have captured us but don't think to kill her for that. Besides she did help us translate those symbols, not only on one but on all the runes we're supposed to collect."

I stared at him with my arms still crossed. "How'd you know I was thinking that?" I didn't even try to deny it.

He smiled a little. "It's written all over your face. I could tell by your body language too."

I rolled my eyes again. He was reading me just as well as I read him. I was losing my touch. Once again I found this scenario funny. How strange was it to finally have someone understand me just by a glance when initially I never let anyone understand me at all. They never took the chance to.

"Trust me," he continued, " I understand how you feel. I mean it's not like I'm completely over the fact that those guards she set on us hurt you. But I'm also still angry at the fact that she had assumed so quickly." He paused for a moment. Face turning into a solemn one. "But then again, it is my fault that all that happened. I shouldn't have picked up that jewel."

I shook my head, my hair floating around my forehead in waves. "It was nothing but an accident. I'm over it. The only thing that matters now is living through a fight with a water demon and figuring out our combining problem."

Before I knew it he was doing it again. That damn grin spread across his lips, but he didn't bother to hide it this time. I couldn't help but stare at him like I found myself doing more and more often now. I hated to admit it to myself but. . .he was fascinating to look at now that my feelings were clear to me.

But I wouldn't let my face express any emotion of affection. I already made it clear in my head that I couldn't fall for him. Although that was becoming a hard process to hold back.

He continued to grin at me and my chest gave another flutter despite me not wanting it to happen. I gave him a slightly irritable grunt before quickly glancing away from him, but my actions weren't questioned as Kiichi came into the room right when I looked away from him.

In the corner of my eye he was still staring at me but with a clearly questioning look. But then he turned to Kiichi and the look fell away from his face.

She swam over to us with a silver box in her hands. It was wide in width and had a rectangular shape with a latch in the center.

She stopped once she was near us. "I hope you both have had enough training, because what comes next will truly test your limits. The water demon will be strong as Queen Serina has warned you about. Hopefully you both will be strong enough to kill it."

"We will." I told her.

She eyed me. "I'm not surprised by your confidence in fighting. I know all about your type of people." She turned to Yogi." I'm more concerned for his life considering I've never heard of a kingdom belonging to the sun. I don't know if he fights as much as your people do."

I could tell by the way she was speaking that she doubted Yogi's capabilities to fight something so strong. She was calling him weak. I could sense the lasting apprehension in her voice. It sort of irked me that she was assuming the worst yet again without knowing the real facts.

Yogi creased his brows as he sheathed his sword back into it's holster. He leaned close to her with a hard determined look on his face. "I can fight and defeat this water demon just as strongly as he can." He cocked his head towards me.

She smirked."We'll see."

Yogi pulled away from her still with a dour expression pointed in her directon. Her words were harsh, I wasn't surprised by the look.

I focused my attention on the box in her hands again. "What's that?" I nodded my head at it so she'd know what I was talking about.

She disregarded Yogi's sour look and turned to me still with a smirk.

"Why not tell when I could just show you?" She popped the latch open and then pulled the lid up to reveal 4 bracelets.

Yogi and I looked down at them. They each had 3 inches of width on them with engraved floral designs that glazed silver.

They all looked alike but the only thing that made them discrete was the flowing power coming off of them. I couldn't pin point the type of magic they had, but it was strong. That, I could definitely tell.

"What are those for?" Yogi asked the question that had been on the tip of my tongue.

"These bracelets were used for 4 chosen guards by both the King and Queen." Kiichi began. "They were ordered to slay the water demon with these bracelets. But each and every set of 4 guards chosen have always failed. These bracelets purpose it to make your magic stronger and since you both are from the surface your magic can't withstand against water creatures like they do with land creatures. Putting one of these on will transform your magic so it is capable underwater and fighting against the water demon. This isn't the bracelet's purpose but I'm sure it'll work."

I reached forward and placed my finger tips on one of them. As soon as I had an overwhelming surge of magic went up my arm. It jolted me internally. I ripped my hand away from it quickly and suddenly my vision went blurry and intersecting.

I blinked a few times to clear it away while placing 3 fingers on my forehead, feeling a quick spell of nausea.

"Are you okay?" I looked up and saw Yogi starring at me. Eyebrows pulled together with concern in his eyes.

"I'm good." I sighed, dropping my hand away. I turned back to Kiichi. "Those bracelets must be filled with something strong."

She smirked. "You'll get used to it's power once you put it on. Try again. Both of you choose one."

Yogi reached forward and so did I. But this time I grabbed the bracelet entirely and picked it up. It's magic was flowing all around it in an inky purple glow. I took a look over to Yogi and found that he was holding one up as well. His had an inky green glow.

"You're supposed to put it around your bicep," Kiichi said, closing the box and clicking the latch shut.

Following her instruction I put the bracelet around my bicep. As soon as it touched my skin it jerked it self around my arm and latched shut.

It surprised me slightly, but I didn't reveal it on my face.

An odd flow of magic went up the arm it was hooked to before going through my body in an over powering flow. It felt out of place inside me but I took that as a clue to just get used to it.

"Of course the bracelets will make you feel overwhelmed but they're only trying to test your capabilities and if you're strong enough to handle their power." She explained while throwing a suspicious glance at Yogi.

I took a look at him as well and found the bracelet on him. He was tracing his fingers against it's curves, not even catching sight of the glance Kiichi had thrown his way.

She rolled her eyes before turning away from both of us and ordered to follow her. Yogi stopped caressing his bracelet before pulling forward with a kick of his legs. I followed after him.

But before leaving the training room I gave one last warning glance at the 2 guards who'd been watching me the whole time. They immediately turned away.

I grunted before leaving the room.

"Before you go, My husband and myself would like to thank the both of you for risking your lives to put that demon to it's death." Queen Sirena nodded her thanks and so did King Asherrot.

He held up a clear crystal ball. "We'll be watching you both on this during the fight to keep track of your progress. But after you've slayed the beast come back here so you can be transported back to the surface," Asherrot said.

Both Yogi and I nodded.

Queen Sirena turned to Kiichi with a serious facial. "Remember to lead them directly to the ruins and come strait back."

"Yes, my Queen." She glanced at us before waving a hand to follow her.

"We'll be seeing you." I gave Queen Sirena a fleeting looked before turning and went after Kiichi with Yogi giving them another respectful nod before coming after me. We swam past the clear barrier around Metropolis before coming out in the plane ocean with sea life swimming in individual groups of species all around us.

On our way to the ruins of their former castle I made sure to mark our invisible path with directions so we could easily find our way back.

With how vast the area around us was, I might as well have made sure to do so. The last thing I wanted was for Yogi and I to be swimming aimlessly while being stuck being half fish. That was the least thing I wanted right now.

We trailed behind Kiichi for an hour before the first sighting of tumbled stone of a structure came into the distant view, appearing like a medium sized dot from our vintage point. It took us an additional 20 minutes to close up the distance before we finally made it to our destination.

I sighed in half annoyance down at the fins that had replaced my feet. But it hadn't come out as irritable as I'd wanted it to. It sounded dull with the water coming out my mouth causing it to have barely any irritation audible in it.

With fins it took way longer then I'd expected to reach one point to another. Inwardly I reminded myself of the swim back to Queen Sirena and King Asherrot's resent castle and prepared myself for another hour and 20 minute swim.

"The people from the surface did all this?" Yogi asked, stopping to look at the destruction.

"Yes they did," she replied, stopping in front of us. "Now you see why my people are still mentally scarred by this. It doesn't look as bad now, but when it first happened it was a lot worse. Now it's all been claimed by the water demon."

I gave Yogi a side ways glance and saw a distant focus in his eyes. He was remembering his own kingdoms destruction. I knew by the words she'd said would trigger that terrible memory.

I distinctively remembered the flash backs Gabriel had allowed me to see from his mind. I knew how that day was for him. Definitely something I wouldn't be able to rid out of my head.

"It's fine,Yogi. We'll get there." I found myself saying without a filter. Sometimes I surprised myself with my choice of words. Didn't think I had the words to console him but as soon as I'd said that his demeanor transitioned from a forlorn one to an optimistic one.

He smiled a small one at me before looking strait ahead again.

Kiichi looked between us curiously but then rolled her eyes before turning away, figuring it had nothing to do with her. "Anyway." She spoke." This is as far as I go from here. The job is yours to locate the water demon. Are we clear?"

I crossed my arms. " We're clear."

"Got it." Yogi nodded once.

"Okay then. But one last thing, try not to die quickly. You may think you're both all high and mighty now but once you find that beast, it will take advantage of your every move. So think wisely." She pointed out sternly. She gave one last glance at Yogi before turning and swimming back the way we came.

We both watched her leave until she was nothing but a blue dot in the distance. I faced Yogi first. "We should start searching for this thing."

He turned to me. "Yeah, but do you have any idea where it might be?"

I looked over to a structure that looked as if it had been the court yard of the castle. "Not specifically, no." I replied distractedly. I squinted my eyes warily at the broken down slab of rock sealing. It was in bad shape but I could see a small entrance we could fit through.

Now that I looked at the castle I realized that some parts of it was still held together with only a couple dents, holes, and cracks. It looked strong enough to not collapse on us. That is if we we're careful.

Yogi blinked confusedly at me before following my line of sight. He turned back to me in half realization before turning back to the castle and then he looked back at me with a knowing, stern stare. "Oh no. You're not thinking what I think you're thinking. Are you?" He asked cautiously.

"I don't know. If it's on the point of doing something positively stupid then yes." I didn't look at him.

He groaned while shaking his head. "No way. We're not going in there. It's a death trap, clearly. I can't believe you're considering something like that."

I averted my eyes away from the castle and brought them up to his face. I leaned into him closely and asked quietly and serious,"You're not scared, are you?"

He leaned in just as closely and sternly. Our noses almost touching but both of us being too oblivious to the proximity we closed up between one another.

"I'm not scared. I'm being protective over you." He confessed deeply. "It's going to topple over once we're inside."

"It's made of rock, Yogi. It'll take a lot to topple it over." I countered.

"I don't trust it, Gareki."

I crossed my arms while looking around for another possible location the water demon could be.

Nothing. It was an empty space of water around us and only the castle was a suspected ground for the water demon. I turned back to him. "I appreciate you caring for me but this is the only choice we got."

I pushed past him. Going down to the entrance hole I'd seen as I left him I felt his eyes on my back the entire time until I reached the hole.

I paused and looked up at him. "You going to be there staring at me all day or are you going to investigate this with me?"

His lips pursed. I saw that small movement all the way where I stood. He was weighing his options. A few seconds passed before he reluctantly floated down to me."Fine. But we're sticking together."

I nodded once but slowly as I felt that stupid fucking flutter again. "Let's just go." I turned away from him and slipped into the darkened hole.

I pushed myself through by placing my hands on the walls and pushed myself forward while moving my legs up and down to give me a boost. Once I was out of the hole I looked around but couldn't see anything.

I noticed the pitch black darkness with only small slivers of blue light coming from the cracks and holes revealing the outside. But that wasn't enough to see everything.

I brought my hands up and formed hand symbols to activate my night vision. My eyes and tattoos began to glow.

"Do you see anything?" Yogi asked. His voice sounding some what distant. I guess he was only half way out of the hole now.

"You're going to need your night vision." I left that as my answer, figuring he would get the hint.

I swam forward towards a wall made of rock. I trailed my eyes on a long crack that led up to an engraved frame of both King Asherrot and Queen Sirena. The engravings were starting to get blocked out by green moss that stretched from the sealing to most of the walls around the hall.

Clearly this castle had been left abandoned. What I could see in the darkness were walls made with dark charcoal colored rock. Water vines cascaded down from the sealing all over the place. The floor was flat and dusted over with sand.

I heard a shuffle of movement and whipped my head around only to see Yogi pulling out of the hole. He looked at me. Eyes glowing violet against the darkness. "Where do you think we should go from here?"

I left the wall and looked around. There was a dead end to our right and by that I meant a pile of collapsed rocks was blocking our way. But on our left led to a hallway made of pillars. I hadn't noticed it before.

"This is the only way we can go." I gestured to the hall.

"Guess we don't have a choice." He muttered, still reluctant to be inside the castle as he eyed the sealing warily. "Why do you think it'll be in here again?"

I passed by him and began swimming down the hall."Because it's the only place around here that seems like an obvious home for it."

He grumbled," I knew you'd say something like that."

"Why'd you ask then?"

"I just wanted to clarify."

We made our way down the long hall before finally coming to a stop in a wide dome shaped room that appeared a mess. There was a large hole in the sealing allowing some light in the form of rays. Which was also the main cause why the sealing structure was all over the floor.

I stared up at it curiously. Was this where the people from the surface attacked or was this made by the water demon.

Pondering on the question I kept my eyes focused on the hole, failing to miss Yogi heading over to a hole in the ground that I hadn't seen right away.

"Gareki? I think you should see this." His voice was edged with warning.

I turned my head in his direction. "What is it?" I came over to him but not before I noticed the large dark hole he was staring at. I sensed something about it that wasn't right.

Something bad was down there. I clenched my fists at my side.

We both stared at it silently for who knows how long before I finally broke the silence.

"Do you think it's down there?" My voice was quiet.

He stayed silent for a few seconds before responding. "The rugged edges around the rim make this hole look like it's been dug up by claws, something like this seems like a water demon's doing. So yeah, I think it may be down there." He replied looking me strait in the eyes.

I searched his eyes for uncertainty. There wasn't any signs of it.

"Well great," I said lowly, looking away from him." Looks like we'll be getting in an earlier fight with this thing then I'd thought. Are you ready?"

He looked at me hard. "Ready for anything."

"Good." I summoned my glaive and tightened both hands around it. "Let's go down there then."

Just as we were about to head down a loud screech interrupted us from above. We stopped and quickly turned around only to hear a crash and see large rocks falling down towards us.

Every instinct in me screamed for my body to move but all sense was knocked out of me once something hard smacked me on my back. Throwing me to a wall where I hit my head.

A flash of white light whipped behind my closed eyelids and suddenly something I hadn't expected to see. My mother's face before all feeling disappeared.


	22. The Kill

_Gareki's POV._ . .

As odd as it was the image of her face stayed in mind. Even as I woke up. The purpose of her being there, I didn't know. It was all odd to me.

Why now of all times. Was there a reason for her to be there. Was there any purpose of Daja` Vu to be showing me my mother's face. It'd happen twice now. Which led me to believe there had to be a reason for her sudden appearance in my head.

I just didn't know what it was.

Suddenly all realizations of where I was made me snap my eyes open and sit up strait in one quick motion. But that was a bad move.

As soon as I did that my head started aching and I could hear thudding of drums in my ears.

Grimacing I lifted a hand to my forehead to try and sooth the pain. It did little to smother it though.

I sat there and waited till the drums subsided into quiet thuds. I waited an additional amount of seconds to recall what had happened to me.

I remembered a loud screech, something strong and hard hitting me—which I assumed had been the water demon—, and then that was when I collided with a wall of rock before losing consciousness.

I hit my head hard. But the pain was slowly going away now. I was bruised on my left temple but even that was slowly going away. There were no other injuries on my body that were fatal in which I felt lucky for. I traced my finger tips along my forehead before dropping my hand down to my lap.

My mind was blank as I looked down at the ground on my left and saw my glaive laying there covered in sand.

Reaching over I picked it up and began dusting it off with my fingers, but as I was doing this I noticed my tattoos were still glowing for my night vision. Now I was aware of everything around me being over shadowed by darkness.

I looked up and scrutinized the sealing. There was that same hole Yogi had spotted. A hunch told me we both had fallen down it and now we were separated in the water demon's layer which became obvious to me once I looked further at my new surroundings.

I was in an underwater cave right beneath the castle that had the same diamonds embedded into the walls Yogi and I had seen in the cave on dry land. And I noticed it was a huge room with discarded rocks that had fallen from the hole. I brushed sand from my arms before lifting myself up and began to paddle my legs in a random direction.

I held my glaive tightly, preparing myself just in case the water demon landed another surprise attack on me.

I needed to find Yogi and quickly. I didn't know exactly how strong or smart this demon was. But of course finding him was difficult considering I no longer had a connection to his magical pulse.

Keeping my movements slow and quiet I continued to pear around the darkened room for a flash of blonde hair. I couldn't see it anywhere. But this was only half of the cave I'd searched. I turned to the other half of the cave and slowly swam over.

I eyed the ground. Hoping he was under the sand instead of under a rock. I pushed the thought of him being crushed underneath it's weight out of my head.

I sighed inaudibly deciding to keep my negative thoughts distracted on the pulse of my magic as it reverberated with the pacing of my heart.

I kept my eyes to the ground looking for any indentation of a body covered in sand.

I didn't see one but something in the corner of my eye lurched out of my view point. I paused and turned in the direction I had seen it.

Nothing was there. Not even a movement of sand that indicated that there had just been movement. My eyes stayed on that spot more than 3 seconds expecting something else to happen. But nothing ever did.

I began to think for just a split second that I was seeing things but it happened again. To my right this time. I turned and saw something dark, scaly, and long slither quickly into a dark corner. It looked like a tail.

I held up my glaive as I summoned magic into the blade getting ready to shoot but suddenly the tail lurched out at me in one quick blinding movement and smacked me in my stomach. My throat let out an "Oof!" As I flew backwards and collided with the rock wall before slowly falling to the ground, landing on my front.

My mind was bombarded with questions as to what the hell had just happened. What had just hit me being the main one out of all of them.

I opened my eyes and saw my glaive laying next to me by a couple inches. I reached out and gripped it before pushing myself up on all fours. My night vision spell had been knocked off once I was hit. I closed my eyes and focused the spell inside my iris's instead of my tattoos. Maybe I wouldn't be so much of an easy target if I weren't glowing from them.

That seemed like the obvious idea and I felt kind of stupid for not realizing it sooner.

I opened my eyes again. Knowing they were glowing blue.

I refocused my magic inside my glaive again before straitening up my posture.

"I see you got back up." Spoke a deep booming voice. It echoed in my ears making me confused as to where it was coming from.

I grimaced again before putting a hand to my ear. With my acute hearing it only sounded louder. "Who said that?"

I heard and felt the water shift around me and I grew tense all over. The silence ate away at me as my question hung with the silence.

"Answer me." I commanded with my jaws clenched. I stayed in the same spot while cautiously eyeing the surroundings in front of me.

"I'm the water demon you just happened to cross paths with, right in my territory." The voice boomed again but this time sounding aggravated.

I couldn't see him even with my night vision. He didn't sound close neither did he sound far. His voice was tricking me. Echoing all around me continuously fours times before fading away.

I spared a glance behind me but only saw the wall I'd been thrown against. I snapped my head back around. What was I an idiot. Why would he be behind me when there was just a wall there. And I knew it was there too. The voice was confusing me more then I let on.

"Right in your territory, huh. Well just know it isn't going to be yours for much longer."

"Let me guess. You're here to kill me." His deep voice vibrated against my chest.

"How'd you know?" I asked flatly.

"It's obvious because of that bracelet around your arm. The last set of guards I killed off were wearing that exact bracelet. I assume you're from Metropolis?"

I stared at the emptiness in front of me deciding my next words carefully. Why would I need to tell him anything about me? It was pointless. But not to a point where I needed to keep info about myself a secret. It wasn't like he would do anything. Right.

But a small voice inside my head told me not to tell him anything but before I knew it words were forced out of my mouth without me being able to stop them.

"No," I started, "I'm something entirely different from those people. Something that's apart of another race and kingdom."

"And that would be?" He promptly asked.

"Avatarian, a prince of the Ice Castle." My lips moved once again without my accord.

A low and deep hmm vibrated around me. He sounded intrigued by that fact of mine. I found that weird.

"So you're a prince sent to kill me all the way from a powerful kingdom so far away? I don't get it."

I pressed both my thumb and index fingers against the blade on my glaive before tracing them up to the tip."That's fine, you don't need to understand it. You're about to die anyway," I said casually.

The water shifted around me again and I automatically focused on it's course of direction with the sense of feeling on my body. It was moving left which meant the water demon was moving in that direction.

I kept my attention lingering in that one direction. I finally had a lead on where this demon was and I refused to lose it.

He chuckled darkly. Not in a way that was evil but in a way that told me he doubted my capabilities. "I don't think you have the strength to kill me. You're so small compared to me."

"That doesn't signify a person's strength. Not entirely anyway." Suddenly I felt like Yogi while Kiichi was practically calling him weak right in his face but was saying it in a form of words that wasn't directly to the point of what she really wanted to say.

"I think it does. Surely you must've thought about my appearance before you and your friend came into this castle."

I shook my head, keeping my eyes trained on that same direction. "Where is he?" My voice wasn't casual anymore but instead was firm and demanding. "I need to know where he is."

The water shifted to the right until it stopped in front of me. I saw nothing still. "I don't know. The blondy might as well be dead some where."

I glared at nothing in front of me as my fists clenched. "You're lying. That's a damn lie and you know it." My voice was harder now. Harder than I'd expected it to be.

"And why would I lie about that? I would want him dead just like I would with you."

"Too bad, I don't plan on dying down here. I plan on killing you. Know, I'm going to ask you one more time. Where. Is. He." I heard the water around me snap from the frost leaving my body because of my irritation.

I heard a short chuckle come from him.". . . Dead."

A loud boom sounded off in my ears before I'd even realized it had been me that had caused it. Subconsciously my body had acted on it's own. I looked down at my outstretched arm noticing blue strings of electricity swarming around my forearm and shooting out in a long beam from my fingertips and palm of my hand.

My right hand was holding my glaive.

I looked forward and saw a creature that was similar to a snake by the structure of it's large body being hit by my electricity as it was being shoved to the far wall by the force of my magic.

It was long and wide. Dark blue scales lined it's entire body. It had four legs, each of them being short with a support of sharp claws. It had big spikes sticking out from it's back leading from it's head all the way down to it's tail where they got smaller.

It's head was shaped more like a dragons than a snake. Then it hit me. It wasn't a snake at all. It was a water dragon.

So that was it's identity. I heard it chuckling again. Louder now. "I'd say hit me with your best shot but this is nothing. I assume all your attacks will be like this?" He scoffed.

"You're just trying to make me angry!" I growled. I felt the bracelet's power rumbling inside of me, begging to be used, I happily obliged.

I closed the hand that had been shooting electricity into a fist before cutting off it's source and absorbed it back into my skin before gripping it around my glaive.

I then summoned it all the way to the blade end where it sparked wildly. I raised it up before swinging it causing a vast wave of electricity to hit the water demon strait in it's chest causing him to topple over.

He fell on the ground, kicking up sand.

I stood my ground not really trusting being close to him. He was right though. I was smaller then him, I know knew that considering I finally got a good look at him. But that still didn't prove anything. I had little interests to back down now. Even if he was intimidatingly bigger then me.

"Get up." I demanded. I held my weapon in front of me, ready to shoot if he did any sudden attacks. His one eye that I could see snapped open. It was the color teal blue with a long black slit cutting through the center.

"I'm surprised you were able to get me grounded. Usually the guard's attacks that were thrown at me could never knock me off my feet. You intrigue me."

"I'm different. Like I told you already. An Avatarian prince, remember?" I tensed suddenly at my own words. My instincts told me something was off about him. . . and myself.

Why the hell was I giving myself away so easily. It wasn't like me at all.

"Oh I remember exactly what you are," he said darkly. He lashed out with his tail before I could even defend myself and wrapped it tightly around my body before lifting me up towards his eye.

I struggled to get myself loose and inwardly cursed myself out for not being more on guard. "Let me go, now!" I practically snarled.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You see I've found a liking to your power. It's a lot more different than anything I've come across over the thousands of years I've lived."

I paused and looked strait in his eye and glared. "This entire time you were talking to me you said that I was weak and incapable of fighting you. And now you're praising my power. You don't make any damn sense!"

"Oh I make plenty of sense. I was taunting you. Basically luring you to use your power against me so I could see how strong it really was. You fell into the trap easily enough."

I stared at him my eyes widening. My anger vanishing from me for a few seconds. I fell for a trap that had been so easy to figure out from the beginning. I was taken aback by that. How could I have been so stupid.

"Unbelievable." I muttered.

I heard a deep purr of satisfaction come from his throat as he peered down at me.

"You need to control your anger other wise this wouldn't of happened," he mocked in that same dark voice. "Oh, and before I forget. You should always keep your identity a secret from your enemy. The whole ' I'm an Avatrian from the Ice Castle' gave away your strength too. And once I heard it I knew you were worthy."

I clenched my jaw, my anger suddenly rising up inside of me again and said between grit teeth, "Worthy for what?"

"Your element to be absorbed within me," he said with ease.

I shook my head slowly."No. You're not doing that to me." I began struggling all over again. "I won't let you."

He just laughed at me which only got me more angry. Both my elements over ice and electricity reacted to it.

I continued to glare at him as I tried to free one of my arms but my entire body was stuck in his grasp. "I won't let you do this." As soon as the words were pass my lips I shot a beam of both elements at his eye from my body sense I couldn't move my arms.

My target was accurate but soon after I'd hit him he screeched causing me to cringe at how loud it was once more. He still didn't let me go. After a few minutes his screeching ceased and he was growling at me.

"You're going to wish you hadn't done that."

I waited till the ringing in my ears dulled before I set my jaw and glowered at him. "I don't regret it."

He lifted his hand towards me, one of his claws pointing right at me and coming closer. But before he could do anything a shout interrupted him.

"Feuer!"

An orange blast of an aura fire shot out from no where and hit the water demon on his tail he was holding me with. It loosened from my body and I didn't waste time at pushing myself away from him before shooting a ball of my ice magic at his neck where a strange purple diamond was engraved there.

As soon as my shot hit him his chest broke out in ice that slithered up to the middle of his neck. Another aura of fire shot out and impacted him harder then the first time in the same place where my own magic had, forcing him back where he hit the wall causing some rocks to fall from the sealing of the cave.

I raised one of my hands and made a shield made of clear ice to hold off the smaller rocks from hitting me.

"Gareki?!"

I turned my head quickly to see Yogi coming towards me. "You good?" He looked over me for injury once he made it to me.

I nodded once, feeling solace now that I saw that he was here with me and alive. "I'm still in one piece." I rubbed my arm where the scales from the water demon's tail had dug into my skin causing a couple bruises. They were miner injuries though.

Yogi sighed a look of relief crossing over his face. "Good. I literally just woke up and found you gone and then suddenly I was hearing him." He pointed at the water demon who was recovering from the shots we fired at him. "I'm glad I woke up when I did."

I glanced at the water demon. He was on all fours now and was eyeing us like prey. "Yeah, I'm glad you did too." I admitted. "I would've been defenseless and dead if he absorbed all of my magic."

In the corner of my eye Yogi stiffened. "Wait, what?"

I kept my eyes on the demon as I opened my mouth to explain to him what had almost happened to me. But before I could the demon in front of us opened it's mouth where we both saw a small blue orb that was glowing and gradually growing bigger in the back of his throat.

Yogi frowned but my eyes widened as I anticipated what he was about to do. After disabling my shield. I turned to Yogi and pushed him and myself down behind a rock just as a blue beam from the demon's mouth shot out from behind me. I felt the heat radiate off of it onto my skin, burning me before I could fully get out of it's range.

I accidentally landed on Yogi. But it was painless since we were in water and that took up most of my weight.

I clenched my jaw tightly at the burning sensation on my back. Trying hard to not let it show on my face as I quickly got off of him. Last thing I needed was for him to worry about me when we had something bigger to set our priorities on.

Apparently I hadn't hidden it well because Yogi saw my distress before I could smother it away completely. He sat up and looked at me on alert."You got hit didn't you?" He asked solemnly. His face matching his voice.

I couldn't find the strength or will to lie to him so I just came out with it. "Only. . .a little so don't worry. . . about me. Now isn't the time." I managed to say between cringing from the pain.

"He's right you know," said the water demon, leaning his head over us,"Now isn't the time." He opened his mouth and charged up another beam preparing to hit us with it.

"No!" Yogi yelled taking off his amulet before holding it up as he formed a clear shield with it. "I'm not going to let you hurt him."

The water demon shot out the beam. It connected with Yogi's shield but it didn't break. Yogi hung his amulet back over his neck before facing me again. "Now isn't the time to be stubborn, Gareki. Let me see it." He ordered softly.

I gave a glance at the beam shooting at the shield and assured myself that we were safe for now. I turned around and allowed him to see my wound.

At first I felt nothing, assuming he was just looking at it but then I felt his fingers brush against the burnt skin lightly causing me to instinctively flinch away from his touch.

"You can't heal this because it's burning you. Correct?" He asked.

"Exactly." I replied, clenching my hands into fists. I inhaled deeply trying to hold back the pained noises I wanted to make.

"Okay." He sighed. "I'm going to try something. I have a feeling that it'll work even though I've never done it before."

I turned my head to look at him sideways as if he had said something crazy which he had. "What? I need you to be absolutely positive that what ever you're planning on doing will work. Not being unsure."

He ignored my request. "Hold still for me and don't flinch. I'm going to see if I can redirect your burning wound temperature and replace it with a cold one that matches your body temperature."

I opened my mouth to question him again but before I could I felt his hand cover my wound and an odd sensation went through my back. It felt warm and soothing unlike the burning inferno from my wound.

My mouth gaped open from the unspoken question I was about to ask. But I had lost it once the sensation of his comforting hand was placed on me.

How was he doing this. The burning was slowly going away. Subsiding into my cold body temperature just like he had said it would. It was strange.

A few seconds later I felt the burning from my wound disappear altogether. It was no longer a fire grazing itself on my skin. My body relaxed after it was all over and I could breathe again.

Yogi removed his hand. "Does it feel better?"

Instead of answering I countered it with a question of my own. "How did you do that?"

He glanced at his hand. "It just came to me. But I guess I can only do it with injuries that consists of burns. Something that has been caused with fire."

I stated at him curiously, that been had felt like fire. It was nice to know he had some form of healing too. Just then a loud thudding was interrupting us from above our heads.

We both looked up and saw the water demon punching the dome shield around us. He then dragged his claws against it, making it squeak against them.

"Let's not forget, you came here to kill me and now you're being a coward. I wouldn't have expected this from an Avatarian." He scratched the shield once more in another weak attempt to break it.

His words were plainly taunting me again. Telling me to go and fight him if I dared and risk getting myself trapped again. But the most funny thing about it was that I was falling for that same trick again. It was like I hadn't learned my dumb mistake from last time.

I shook my head and controlled my urge to listen to my brain and not my body.

"You're not resorting to this again. It isn't going to work this time," I said.

"Trust me." He hissed."One way or another you'll have to lose your focus." He pulled his hand back and formed it into a fist before throwing it forward, towards us.

Everything that happened next went by fast.

I glanced at Yogi quickly with concern for the shield around us being able to withstand a strong impact but the only thing I saw on his face was a flash of worry and I immediately thought of our next course of action,taking that look he gave me as something bad going to happen.

"Yogi! Drop the shield. Now!"

Instantly he gripped onto his amulet causing the shield to fall away. I jerked my head back up and saw the giant fist coming closer. I acted without hesitation.

"Freeze!" I threw my arms out in front of me as I focused my element of ice into the ground causing a large and sharp dagger of ice to erupt from the ground right in front of me.

I watched as the sharp tip cut into the demon's fist. He pulled back with a roar before smashing away the dagger of ice. He then snapped his jaws at us.

I moved out of the way just before he could grab me with his sharp teeth. "Yogi, whatever you do don't let him taunt you into getting close to him. He already tried to absorb my magic he might do the same to you!" I warned.

"Already planning on keeping my distance, Gareki." He replied as he took cover behind another rock before shooting a yellow beam from his amulet that impacted the water demon on his face.

The water demon turned towards him and began maneuvering in his direction. I watched as he did. Clearly he was planning on killing him. Not on my watch.

I grabbed my glaive from the ground just as the water demon deflected a shot fired from Yogi and snatched him up in his grasp.

Yogi struggled to get his arms free.

"Your elements of magic has the same level of potential as that Avatar's. You'll do nicely for my feeding."

He lifted Yogi towards his mouth but before he could take a bite I swung my glaive causing a wave of electricity to hit the sealing. Rocks fell on top of the water demon but before one of them landed on Yogi I shot a ball of electricity at it, making it explode into tiny pieces.

"Yogi get away from him!"

"Already on it." He replied while pulling himself out of the water demon's grasp before coming over to me. "Thanks." He offered.

"Yeah don't mention it. But right now we have a priority." I pointed towards the sealing as more rocks fell like rain.

Yogi noticed it. "It's going to collapse."

"Yeah." I replied. "On top of us if we don't get out of here."

"Let's go then." He urged.

"Right behind you." We both pushed forward moving towards the large hole we had fallen down. But right as we made it to the surface something wrapped around my legs and yanked me back down. A noise of surprise left my throat.

Yogi noticed at the last minute but that didn't stop him from grabbing my hand tightly with both of his "I got you." He assured me.

I opened my mouth to respond but a tug on my legs had me speechless for a few seconds. I looked down and saw blue eyes glowing in the darkness and I could see a blue ball of light gradually getting bigger. I looked back up at Yogi. "He's going to shoot. We need to move!"

Yogi pulled away one of his hands from mine as an aura of flames engulfed it. "I won't let him!"

He threw the flame down at the water demon. I stared at the small flame as it went inside the growing orb before glared at him. "What the hell are you thinking?! That isn't going to do anything!"

"You trust me don't you?!" He yelled back. His eyes found mine. I stared at him

"What the hell does that have to do with—"

"Yes or no, Gareki?" He gave me a serious look.

"Yes. Yes, I do."

He nodded looking some what guilty. I frowned at him but didn't say anything.

"Good, then you understand why I need to do this." He yanked out his sword, leaned down and cut the water demon's tail that had wrapped around my legs before pulling me up onto the surface.

Before I knew what was happening he let go of my hand while putting his sword back into it's holster and propelled himself down to the water demon.

"Wait what are you—" I reached for his hand but he was long out of my reach.

The next thing that happened almost made me vomit from shock. He went strait into the water demon's mouth disappearing inside the blue orb just as it was fired up at me.

My eyes widened as I instantly pulled away from the edge as the large blue beam sky rocketed out of hole.

I froze as I watched it break through the sealing. Time passed me by, feeling like hours instead of minutes. The beam continued to shoot up.

I found that odd. The water demon hadn't shot a beam that lasted this long from what I'd seen. I kept starring at it. Still taken over by shock.

Had he really just killed himself right in front of me. If I had known he'd do something so stupid then I. . .then I. . .

I slowly shook my head. I couldn't look away from the beam. I couldn't believe that this was happening right in front of me. I felt like I was dreaming. Yogi wasn't gone right.

He couldn't be. . .right.

I found it hard to breathe at that moment. A large weight had fallen inside my chest. I felt a sting behind my eyes but forced it back. Now wasn't the time for useless tears.

I couldn't keep my eyes on the beam any longer. Instead I looked down at the ground.

I lifted my hand and formed it into a fist before slamming it to the ground hard. "Why'd you have to go and be a damn hero you idiot!"

"Even when you're mourning for me you're mean. But I kind of knew you'd be this way. Sorry."

I snapped my head up at his voice and noticed that the beam was glowing a golden hue now. I saw an outline of a body as the beam slowly got smaller and smaller before eventually disappearing.

My breath caught in my throat as I saw Yogi floating there holding his amulet while looking at me. A shield was surrounding his body.

Emotions ran through me. From sadness to relief from relief to anger from anger to gratitude then back to anger all over again.

I clenched my jaw as I scowled at him. He came over to me having the nerve to look like he wanted to laugh at me. Probably for thinking he had died just now.

But he did spare another guilty facial. "The water demon's dead thanks to my amulet and," he pulled his hand from behind his back and showed me the water demon rune, " I got this."

I looked away from his face and eyed the rune.

It had an entirely different symbol on the front from the foxen rune and was the color of an aqua blue against the dark charcoal color of the stone. I even noticed the Neptus language written at the bottom.

My angry expression softened. "Why Yogi," I said softly at first before my voice got louder and angrier by each word that passed my lips." That's not an excuse for making me think you were DEAD!"

I slapped him hard across his face before snatching the rune from his hand. I ignored his yelp of "ow!" As I placed the rune in a time warp.

"You have some fuckin nerve of doing that. How ridiculous can you be? Toying with my emotions like that. I thought you were dead for real. You don't play around with death, Yogi! Especially after you told me to trust you!"

I watched him rub his red cheek before replying. "I thought you were onto the plan I had when I told you that. I'm really sorry. I had no idea you didn't know." He looked surprised from the blow.

"Oh really?" I said darkly as I raised my hand to slap him again. "Maybe I can make it clearer for you the next time you decide to do something fucking stupid like this."

He lifted his hands up in front of his face and cringed. "No no you're good. You made it clear the first time."

I dropped my arm down to my side and continued to glower at him. "It better be clear to you. Now, let's get the hell out of here and don't think I won't remember this."

"Right," He said warily as he followed me on the route we took to get in the castle." But are you at least glad that I'm alive?"

I sighed deciding not to answer but after a few minutes I spoke anyway. "Yeah, but don't push your luck. Even that won't stop me from being angry at you."


	23. Inconveniences

Gareki's POV. . .

"I don't believe it. I can't," said Kiichi sternly with her arms crossed as she led us through the entrance gates of the castle.

I let Yogi go through first as I turned and gave the crowd a glance as they cheered. Kiichi had told us that word had gotten out about our heroic deed of killing the water demon. Or in my case, Yogi's deed of killing it. No one knew the truth yet of who had really killed it. Except Kiichi who I had just got done telling and the King and Queen who'd been watching.

I turned away from the loud crowd and followed after Yogi and Kiichi who were still discussing over the fact that he had killed the water demon instead of me. She had been skeptical of him, obviously and she refused to believe he'd done it by himself.

"I'm telling you that I did. Why would I lie about that?" Yogi defended, gesturing with his hands.

Kiichi just shook her head as she told us to follow her down a hall that led strait to the throne room. All the guards standing side by side on either side of the hallway stared at us as if intrigued by our conversation.

As we moved ahead all the while me listening to them talk in front of me, I saw the two guards I had nearly frozen earlier. I glanced their way and visible saw them stiffen.

I smirked to myself, looking away from them. I enjoyed that.

"Don't tell me something like that happened. I still can't believe it." Kiichi claimed to Yogi.

"What I explained to you, Kiichi, is the truth." I chided. She turned and gave me a steady glare before looking strait again.

"It just doesn't seem right." She continued."I expected you, Gareki, of all people to slay it. Not him," she pointed at Yogi." It goes against what I said would happen. I hate being wrong."

"And tell me why it would be so much of a problem for you just because Yogi killed the demon instead of me?" I noticed the irked tone in my voice. "He isn't weak like you think."

Yogi gave me a look of gratitude for sticking up for him but I gave him a vexed glare causing him to flinch slightly before turning away from me. Yeah I was still irritated with him for what had happened earlier.

"And besides," I went on, turning back to Kiichi. "I thought the only thing that mattered was to kill it, not by who killed it."

She sighed ignoring me as she asked Yogi a question." How did you even kill the demon anyway?"

He answered. "I had a hunch that the water demon's magic revolved around fire and since I have the element over fire I thought that I could kill it by using one of my flames since fire against fire can compete with one another better then any other magic. After I used it it made a bigger impact when combined with my amulet's magic thus killing it. It wasn't as difficult as you, the King and Queen said it would be."

She scoffed. "You were lucky that you had that element. No wonder so many deaths had happened during the fight with that demon. No one here in Metropolis has fire magic. I guess I should thank you both for risking your lives though."

"That would be the appropriate thing to do after everything harsh you already said to Yogi," I said. "Don't even get me started about your judgement up on the surface."

She stopped and looked at me again, offended was all I saw on her face. "What was I supposed to think? That both of you were good? No. Because when you've been in a kingdom that's been attacked by the very people that walk on the surface then you would understand why I did what I had to with you both."

My jaw tensed as I stared daggers at her face."That's not an excuse that lightens up my mood. You know what you did rather it was for protection or not. You can't take that back. Actions speak louder than words and your actions spoke plenty." There was a harsh and heavy edge to my voice.

She pointed at me. "You can't hold that against me. I had a right to do what I did." She snapped.

"I just did and we all have rights, I just can't forgive you for the way you portrayed yours."

We both went silent after that. She continued to frown at me in displeasure before turning around and continued ahead. I watched her go but noticed in the corner of my eye Yogi starring at me.

"I know what she did made us both angry but I don't think we should hold it against her. She was only defending not genuinely wanting to harm us."He insisted.

I struck a side ways glance at him before speaking. "I happen to think other wise." I pushed away from him, leaving him there to stare after me.

All three of us came to the doors of the throne room, stopping in front of it as two guards pulled them open for us.

Kiichi led us inside as the doors gradually closed behind us. As soon as we entered we were greeted by both King Asherrot and Queen Sirena. They smiled warmly at us as they were seated at their thrones.

"Welcome back. Both of you." Queen Sirena greeted happily.

"Yes, welcome." Asherrot offered.

Yogi said a greeting while I just nodded once honorably. We all continued forward until we came to a stop in the center of the large room.

"By the amount of people outside tells me that you both were true to your word about watching our fight," Yogi said.

"Right you are." Spoke the Queen. "We made sure not to miss anything. You both fought valiantly."

"And we are proud to say that you both have won over our respects." Asherrot added."You both don't know how grateful we and our kingdom are for your bravery."

I put on a fake half smile, trying to seem thankful as I made my voice sincere. "We're glad that you helped us too. If it weren't for you we wouldn't have understood this writing neither would we have gotten our hands on the rune we were after." I showed them the new rune Yogi had gotten.

Sirena nodded still with a smile."As a reward you both are welcomed here anytime without the risk of getting brought back here in cuffs."

I crossed my arms after placing the rune back into a time warp. "We'll take that offer. We still have a ways to go until we reach what we're looking for and maybe we'll need your help on the way."

"We'll form a connection to keep in touch with you both if that does come to happen," said Asherrot.

"We appreciate that." Yogi cut in.

After having a full conversation with them about the water demon, their gratitude, and about the reconstruction of their prior castle that had been abandoned we were escorted out of the throne room by Kiichi.

"Follow me." She ushered with a hand. Yogi and I did as told.

"Where are you taking us?" I found myself asking as we took a different hallway down to a lower hall that looked more like a cave.

Sea plants varying all shapes and sizes danced as we passed them.

"I'm taking you both to a pod. It's what we use to go up to the surface."

"Why don't you just swim?" Yogi questioned.

She gave him an odd look. "If you haven't noticed already, we're hundreds of feet under water. Swimming is a slow process so we rely on the pod to take us up faster."

"Makes sense." He inaudibly said.

But she heard him anyway. "Of course it does. I'm the one who came up with the idea." She stated arrogantly.

"I bet you feel real good about yourself." I quietly said hotly with sardonic enthusiasm.

Kiichi glared at me and Yogi gave me a look that said 'stop what you're doing'. I shrugged, throwing off both their stares.

"It was an idea that worked perfectly." She smirked triumphly."So yeah, I do feel good about myself. What's it to you? How's your life going for you being a selfish jac—"

She abruptly stopped talking once she turned her head to see the dark look on my face. The smirk fell from her lips.

"What was that, I didn't hear you?" My voice was deep and daring.

Yogi starred at me still with a look that told me to refrain from doing or saying anything I would pay dearly for in the end. We were still in the castle and witnesses weren't far away.

Just like those guards I'd nearly frozen who were innocent Kiichi was in their category. I was going to end Yogi and I back behind bars if I harmed her.

She squinted at me. "Nothing." She forced out between tight teeth.

"That's what I thought." I muttered. She turned away from me all the while continuing to lead us.

Yogi fell next to me. "Was that necessary?"

I looked at him from the corner of my eyes. "Don't try to guilt trip me," I said once Kiichi was out of ear shot. "You of all people should be angry, or at least irritated like me. She practically gave you the cold shoulder earlier about you being weak and yet you're acting like none of it mattered."

"What happened to all that anger you had when we were in the cell?" I added.

He looked away from me instead looked in front of us. His expression thoughtful."All that anger was set on the guards that hurt you. I was never really mad at her. And as for her telling me I was weak, sure I was irritated but I didn't let it get to me entirely like I did with those that'd hurt you."

"I would've been more then irritated if I were you." I grumbled.

"Well that's you, Gareki. But now it's clear to me that you were defending my honor again, so thank you. But Is there anything else you're angry with Kiichi about that I don't know of?"

"You already know I was angry at her about what she did on the surface, so that's it." I informed.

"Right. But can you do something for me?"

I looked at him expectantly without a word of acceptance. He took my silence as a yes.

"I'm grateful that you're being defensive for me—us, but I don't think it's the best idea for you to express it anymore while we're here, especially in Kiichi's presence. We just won over the trust of both the King and Queen and I can tell she's the main guard at their side. She could tell them everything's that's happened here and who knows we might need their help like they offered while we make the rest of our trip to the Realm Gates."

"I get what you're saying," I said, looking away from him. "I'll drop the attitude."

"Good." He nodded.

"Here we are." Kiichi suddenly interrupted. She moved aside and showed us that same white ball we'd seen floating on the water up on the surface. It was big enough for all of us to fit inside. I assumed this was the pod she was mentioning. It was placed along side other pods that were situated in the cave walls.

"How do Gareki and I get inside?" Yogi came to a stop beside me. Kiichi shook her head before swimming over to the pod and pressed an invisible button that glowed at her touch. A door outlined a glowing white before popping open, dropping to the ground slowly. "I'm coming with you two, at least till we get to the surface."

"Great." I growled quietly, earning a weak nudge of an elbow from Yogi against my arm. I scowled at him and he lifted an eyebrow at me making me remember our deal. I crossed my arms and turned my head away from him.

Kiichi sighed, noticing our silent exchange of looks and actions. "Believe me I would have loved to leave you two off here alone but I've been given my orders to escort you all the way. Let's get this over with shall we?"

She turned away from us and went inside the pod ushering us inside. We followed suite. Soon all three of us were inside and it oddly appeared more spacious then I'd initially thought. Maybe because it was all white inside, it was playing with my eyes.

"The ride up shouldn't take long." Kiichi informed as she pressed a couple buttons that were still invisible until she touched them.

I wondered to myself what this thing was made of as I looked around at the dome shaped sealing. I'd never really seen technology before but I knew what it was and it's purpose. Possibly this pod was created with water proof technology.

It was odd to be inside this thing but there was a first time for everything I supposed. After Kiichi pressed the buttons the door pulled up and sealed itself closed with a loud slam before a dull white light flickered on above us.

"Sit tight." She ordered as she placed a hand against the solid wall. "It's going to be a slightly bumpy ride despite this being water. Place your hand on the wall it'll help you stay grounded."

Lifting my hand up I put it flat against the wall's cold surface just as Yogi had.

Suddenly there was a rumbling vibration against my hand.

"We're moving?" I looked at her. She nodded. "We just started to."

She was right, the ride up was bumpy but not as much thanks to our hands placed against the walls. Must've been some kind of gravity system built inside the pod to keep us from falling over one another. The ride up also didn't take long just like she'd also told us. Roughly it'd only taken 13 minutes and I was glad. Honestly I hadn't known I was claustrophobic until time spent inside the pod without enough space to claim personal.

So I was relieved when Kiichi told us that we were now on the surface as the vibrations against our hands ceased. She pressed a button to open the door and let the water seep out. Her tail formed into legs as soon as the water left it.

"We've made it to your destination," she said flatly but I knew she was more than happy to be rid of us—me.

"Thank you." Yogi pulled his hand away from the wall. "Really."

She nodded once before peering my way. I took my hand away from the wall and crossed my arms while cockng my head a little at her. "You don't actually expect me to be grateful towards you do you?" My voice was harsh and cold.

She nodded her head again. "Considering I didn't take either of your lives during our meeting then yes I do."

I didn't let up on the hard timbre in my voice. "You might as well have taken my life because of that damn guard you let loose on me. He could have killed me with how strong he knocked me out with his magic."

"Oh please!" She snapped with a roll of her eyes. "Be grateful that you're even breathing."

Before I could get another word out Yogi interrupted me."We should get going. How long does it take for this transformation to ware off? Or is there another way to get our legs back?"

Kiichi forced her eyes away from mine and looked at him. "You have a minute on dry land before the fins and scales morph back into your legs and feet."

"Okay." He turned to me. "Let's go." He didn't wait for me to reply as he pulled me into the shallow water of the cave we'd found the jewel in. The same location where our water demon mission started.

"Dammit, Yogi!" I yelled with annoyance as I wiped the water from my eyes after surfacing.

He surfaced from beneath the water as well and pushed back his soaking hair. "Sorry but I needed you both to stop arguing."

I moved aside wet strands of hair from my forehead before looking behind me and saw the pod merging under water causing the water to ripple once it was fully beneath it's surface.

I breathed in fresh air before sighing. "I wasn't done talking to her." I could hear the miffed tone my voice took.

I glared at him as I watched him pull himself out of the water. He then kneeled down and held his hand out to me.

But instead of taking it I brushed it aside before pulling myself out of the water. "I'm still mad at you you know."

"Seriously," he asked baffled and bewildered.

I pushed myself up on my elbows ignoring the discomfort the solid ground gave them once my weight was balanced on them.

"Yeah. I already told you that your little act wasn't going to be forgotten."

He sighed. "Right. But in all honesty I thought you knew."

"Oh yeah I definitely knew you'd jump into the water demon's mouth and make it look as if you just died right in front of me. Note the sarcasm in my voice."

"I notice it," he said lightly." Your sarcasm doesn't pass me."

"Good let it stay that way." I looked around noticing our clothes and boots laying neatly folded over by the wall and away from the water. "Oh look they had the nerve to actually fold our clothes. Surprisingly nice of them."

Yogi crawled over to his clothes since he couldn't walk. We both couldn't with our feet still fins.

He pulled away his shirt first and pants before noticing his red boxers laying on the solid ground. He blinked clearly taken aback at seeing them there out in the open. "Um. Wait a minute I thought I was wearing my under wear this whole time even in this form." He said quietly, still staring down at them.

I lifted an eyebrow. "Obviously that means we're naked under these scales."

He shook his head. "To think that they went this far just to make us mermen. . . ." he trailed off slowly as he looked up at me.

"Don't think that way. At least we could breathe under water," I said not noticing that my fins had formed back into feet and the scales on me legs morphed back into skin.

He gave me a wide eyed look as his lips quirked. A small red hue lined his cheeks. "Yeah." He had said that slowly. His cheeks suddenly burned with redness. "Gare- Gare"

I frowned at him before asking," Why are you suddenly so fluster—"

I instantly paused as I felt a small breeze hit me and when I say hit me, I felt it. . . everywhere. I looked down at my arms and noticed the blue scales were gone revealing my pale skin. My heart began to race against my chest. I was mortified and slightly angry. Not at Yogi surprisingly but at myself for not expecting this to happen.

My face was blank—at least I was sure of that. I wondered how the hell was I pulling that off during something like this. I should've been cowering away, covering myself as quickly as possible. But yet. . .I kept my place. Keeping still.

Didn't want anything else to be accidentally revealed.

I inhaled deeply and slowly through my parted lips as I closed my eyes telling myself inside my head to stay calm. "Can you please. . . hand me my underwear." I asked monotoned.

Yogi quickly looked away from and scrounged in my clothing before throwing black boxers at me. I grabbed them and made sure he wasn't looking as I pulled them on. After that was done we sat in silence for an awkward amount of minutes.

"Did. . . did you see?" The answer was plainly obvious but I wanted to clarify.

Yogi took a moment to answer still turned away from me. "Yes." He sighed. . ."I'm sorry." He was genuinely sincere and serious. He knew my past and understood how mentally scarred I still was.

I pushed my hair back, looking away from him. It was so odd how I wasn't mad at him. Especially when I anticipated his answer. I wanted to yell at him, be angry. But I couldn't. As weird as it sounded and as wrong as it seemed. Under all my hidden feelings of embarrassment and irritation I felt. . . comfortable. Just a little bit.

Despite my past of almost getting violated this scene happening right in front of me was innocent and had no intentions of something bad happening.

"Act like it didn't happen. Please."

He nodded gingerly and spoke just as seriously as the last. "I'll respect your privacy. Don't worry."


	24. The Center Of The Ever Grove

Gareki's POV. . .

2 days had passed since that awkward scene with Yogi and I and for the most part he acted like it didn't happen. Just like I wanted and I made sure to distract my mind.

Luckily that wasn't difficult considering during those 2 days we had gotten our hands on the last runes on our list. The rock giant and the fire spirit.

Unlike the water demon rune those two had been easier to get to. We hadn't wasted any valuable time with finding their location. I was glad that no threats like Zeek and Zaphora had gotten in our way because no doubt they had slowed us down on our other mission of tracking the water demon rune down. But even though we'd found both the rock giant and fire spirit runes quickly they hadn't been easy to fight against.

I had taken care of the rock giant for the most part considering my element over ice played a harder impact against it while Yogi handled the fire spirit to compete with his element over fire.

Of course even though our capabilities were separate we always stuck at each others sides as back up. Getting one another through when one of these opponents gained the upper hand in a fight.

These last 2 days it had felt like we were connected in a way I'd never perceived before. Yogi would be one step behind me during an attack. There to block it before it could even hit me and I was the same way for him. It was as if we could read each others actions before they were even conducted.

It worked the same way when given commands to each other too. If I asked him to move during a fight he would get out of the way quickly. The same was for me.

It was just like we were combining all over again just with physical actions. It made me wonder if we would ever combine magic again. Restore that magical bond we had once built.

I didn't know what to think of as a solution to the dilemma of combining. What were we supposed to do in order to get it back. We were missing something— obviously. But what.

On another note. More recent flashes of my mothers face have been catching up with me in the form of Daja' Vu. I didn't have an answer for that either. It wasn't suppose to occur so frequently with me, that's not how it works with Avatars.

It mostly started to happen when I slept. She would always be there. Looking surprised, angered, at a loss, and lastly determined. It was strange.

"Gareki?" A firm hand placed itself on my shoulder. It was warm. I recognized it belonging to Yogi. I turned my head and looked up at him expectantly. We both came to a stop.

His glowing violet eyes stared at mine against the dark. The 15th day of him being here in my world and it was night time.

"We're here." His voice was quiet and raspy from whispering. We had to keep a low profile while traveling at night in the Ever Grove. Like he had warned me a few nights ago, we could be attacked by Spiritual Beasts.

I had insisted that we continue to the center of the Ever Grove since I didn't want to waste any time with getting Pastel back. The quicker we got him back the quicker he could lead us out of Lim Fay. Simple as that.

He reached over and handed me the map I had lended to him earlier so he could keep track of where we were going. "Take a look."

I took the map from him and examined it. I held it up after a few seconds of looking it over and matched it up with the area we had stopped in.

The center of the Ever Grove was a circular shaped intersection of path ways. Stone walls leading in every direction around us with a field of knee length grass. That was it and it matched exactly what was printed on the map.

We were here.

I dropped my arm I was holding the map with down to my side as I took a few steps forward, slowly. Keeping myself guarded for traps.

"We're here alright," I said quietly," but where are we supposed to go?"

Yogi looked around, placing a hand on his hip. "Did you miss something on the map, possibly?"

My tail curved upwards at the tip as I looked back at the map and for sure I'd missed a small X that was inked in the center of the circle we were standing in.

"Apparently I did miss something. A small ass X marked in the center of this place." I looked up and peered strait till my eyes landed a few feet away that looked as if it were the center marked on the map.

I pointed in that direction before asking, "Can you go over there and see if you can spot an X marked on the ground."

Yogi crossed his arms before walking pass me to where I'd pointed. "An X? What are we looking for, buried treasure?"

I fake laughed with mock ardor. "Very funny, but just search it out and tell me."

"Alright." He made it over before crouching down, placing one of his forearms on one of his thighs as he reached forward and brushed aside something I couldn't see because of the tall grass.

I folded the map before walking over and came to a stop next to him. "See anything?"

My eyes roamed over to his face where I could only see the side of it from where I was standing. I looked down at his jawline before gradually scanning his neck where I found the recent puncture wounds I'd made there earlier that morning.

I ran my tongue over my fangs. I managed to control my urge with his constant offering of helping me conceal it. But I knew it wasn't gone, at least not yet.

I was trying to be one step ahead of it and so far it was working. But I couldn't trust it. It was just like having something good in life but it would only be a matter of time before that good thing turned bad. I may have been concealing it now but how long would it take for me to go ballistic again.

I continued to stare at his neck not noticing he was calling my name until he stood up right in front of me.

"Gareki?"

My eyes snapped up to his face. "What?"

He crossed his arms again. "Now it's my turn to say you need to stop spacing out." He ran a hand against his neck, specifically over his puncture wounds. "Do you. . .do you want another bite or something? I caught you staring and. . . "

"No." I cut him off as I turned my head away from his. I blinked a few times to clear my head before closing my eyelids completely. "No. . . I'm good. I don't need," I shook my head slowly," another bite."

I looked at him again and found his eyebrow lifted. "Alright." He didn't sound convinced causing me to roll my eyes.

"Look, I already told you that I'd tell you if I ever needed to drink. I'm not lying. Okay?" I gave him a down casted look that said I was being serious here.

He nodded. "Okay. Just making sure. But back to the matter at hand." He gestured a hand down to the ground. "I did find something but it isn't what I expected to see."

I looked at the ground and found a patch of cobblestone with an X mark. I scrunched up my face with confusion as I pocketed the map in my jeans before kneeling down before it. "The hell is this doing here?" I muttered under my breath.

There was grass surroundings us so it was weird and suspicious that there was solid rock here. I brushed my fingers against it.

"There has to be some kind of secret here." I looked up at Yogi.

He shrugged. "Either that or this is all some kind of trick. We haven't fought one of Ivy's monsters in 5 days. It would make sense why he would set us up for another fight here and now."

"He may of said he liked challenges, Yogi. But something tells me that isn't his intention now. At least not yet anyway." I glanced back down at the X and traced my fingers along the harsh and rugged engravings.

"There has to be something here. All my instincts are telling me it's obvious." I finished tracing my finger against the X and suddenly felt the ground shift ever so slightly beneath the souls of my boots.

I looked down at my feet and felt it again but this time it was stronger. The cobblestone beneath me jolted upwards with a loud grazing against another rock. I jumped off of the roof of the entrance way that was gradually lifting up from the soil.

Dirt fell down from the sides like a water fall as it reached it's peak and came to an abrupt stop. It stood taller then us.

I stared at it curiously. I was standing to the right of it when Yogi called my name.

"Gareki?" His voice sounded like an echo. "You should come see this."

I rounded the mound till I came to where he was standing. Coming to notice he was leaning forward into the entrance way and pulled on his shirt causing him to take a few steps back before he could pass his head through.

"Not a good idea, Yogi. We don't know what's in there." I scolded as I let go of his shirt.

"Sorry," he said. "I got kind of eager to know what was inside."

I stepped next to him before looking up at the entrance that loomed in front of us. It was dark inside with vines leaking out of the sealing. I looked down and saw dirt covered stairs made of stone. As far as that I couldn't spot anything else.

I took a wary step forward just to catch sight of what else was in there but the only thing I caught was a stench of an Earthy aroma. The entrance must've been under ground for quite some time if it was smelling like that.

I flinched backwards at the smell and hissed as I waved a hand in front of my nose.

"Found anything," Yogi asked.

"The only thing I found was a terrible smell." I continued to wave my hand in front of my nose. He just laughed at me. "How is it that you can handle the smell of a decaying body but you can't handle an innocent smell of dirt?"

"My nose is a lot more sensitive then yours, and it's different too." I asserted.

He kept that stupid grin that made my chest flutter on his face. "Noted." He informed. I stared at him for a minute too long before ripping my eyes away from him. I growled at myself for doing so which earned me an odd look from him. I ignored it though.

I turned and faced the ominous entrance again. I squinted at it. I was definitely suspicious about something bad going to happen in there. I closed my eyes and formed hand symbols for my nocturnal vision. I focused it in my eyes only before opening them.

"If you can note that then also note the fact that we need to go inside this entrance on guard." I glanced at him finding that his face had gone serious.

"Yeah. I got that the moment it opened up." He wrested his hand on the hilt of his sword.

I looked forward again and summoned my glaive. "Good. This isn't any different just because we found Pastel's location in what seems to be a place unguarded with some type of danger. You know the drill. I got your back and you got mine. Stick close to me. Who knows what might happen once we step through."

" Right." He agreed.

I held my weapon with both hands as I took steps forward closing up the gap of space between the dark entry way and myself before being cloaked in darkness. Yogi was right next to me once I stepped inside.

But as soon as we had, a wave of force went through us. I felt nausea hit me and stumbled forward but held my hand against the wall to support me before I could fall. Yogi had leaned his back to the other side of the wall to support himself.

There was this heavy pulse around us. I could feel it against my body. I couldn't decipher the location it was coming from but I assumed it had no specific born point. It was just in the atmosphere around us.

I inhaled deeply as an aching matched the rate of my heart beat in the back of my skull. I visibly cringed as it slowly increased with the seconds ticking by. My ears began to ring with this strait beep that slowly got louder.

I heard the distant sound of something clanking on the stairs. I looked down and saw that my glaive had dropped free from my loosened grip and had fallen on the stair case below.

I bent down to pick it up but I felt weak in the legs and instead retreated back. But all that seemed useless because as soon as I had I felt more nausea eat away at me before I began to loose control over my body and began to fall forward once more.

A hand reached out and grabbed the back of my shirt before yanking me back. I ended up laying on the ground, on my back. A small grunt escaped me once the aching in my head began to subside. I relaxed as it did.

I opened my eyes and saw Yogi leaning over me. "Guessing the sudden headache was intense for you too, huh?" He offered a hand to help me to my feet and this time I took it.

I rubbed my head as soon as I was on my feet. "Like hell." I grumbled." What was that?" I crouched down and picked up my glaive. The weakness in my legs had dismissed.

Yogi sighed. "It beats me. But I would take a guess that it was caused because of us stepping into this place. Like an invisible magical force knowing our presence is here."

I turned away from him as I took the stair well down. "Humph, what a warm welcome." My voice was deeply toned with stern sarcasm.

I heard his foot steps behind me, which told me he was following.

"Let's just see where these stairs lead so we can hurry up and get Pastel out. " I kept my voice low. It helped to keep it from echoing.

"Agreed. This place reeks with bad intention. I can't shake the feeling off that something bad is going to happen." He indicated.

"That's why you have a sword and don't even get me started on that defensive amulet of yours. Protect yourself with them." I told him.

We made our way down more stairs. Our foot falls silent as possible as we went deeper under ground.

The Earthy smell got stronger and I did my best to endure. I looked at our surroundings. Walls were made of dirt, a few beetles and other insects roamed against them.

We descended until we came to solid Earth beneath our feet. I looked ahead of us and only saw a dirt path leading into a wide hall way of dirt walls that were swarmed with vines growing in wicked directions against them. But the odd thing about them was that they glowed green.

Illuminating the entire hall with a glow of green light. It continued this way all the way down making the hall look endless.

"What is this place?" Yogi asked as he fell into step beside me as we moved forward with caution.

"I'm thinking this is Ivy's home," I said, scowling at the glowing swarm of crooked vines on the wall beside me.

"Strange place."

"That we can agree on."

We both continued ahead but as soon as we met up with the middle of the hall, this heavy feeling came over me. Like it was pressing against me.

I halted and tenaciously held onto my glaive. I looked down as I focused on the upcoming whispers in my ears. They all varied from quiet and far away to close and loud. I couldn't decrypt what was being said. Even with my acute hearing.

I shook my head to get rid of them. But they wouldn't leave me, they stuck close to my ears. It was starting to irk me.

I subconsciously disregarded everything around me and was suddenly hypnotized with the cold breeze of air rushing against my face and by body.

I lazily looked over to Yogi only to find that he was tide up with a black whip wrapped around his mouth. He was frantic as he urged me with his muffled voice to turn around.

Suddenly aware and defensive as I saw a dark figure throw a shot of attack magic at me from the corner of my eye, I turned around and threw my arm aside, forming a tall and jagged wall of ice as an attempt to block it.

But the unexpected impact of the dark figure's magic smashed through my shield and impacted me. I flew backwards, landing harshly on my back as the wind knocked out of my lungs.

Ughh. I groaned, pushing myself up weakly on my elbows. I told myself to snap out of whatever haze I was in and jump back into reality or else I was going to end up dead.

I made sure my glaive was in my hands as I looked at the shadowed figure kicking away my ice wall so a hole could be big enough for him or her to walk through before stepping slowly over to me.

"Well, well, well. We meet again." Spoke a familiar deep voice that sounded plain.

I stared at the dark figure with blurred vision that was coming in and out of focus.

Before I knew it, the figure stepped into the light and I tensed.

Zeek stood right in front of me. Glaring down at my face with red eyes full of vengeance.


	25. Comrade

**Music Choice— Battle Scars— Guy Sabastian ft. Lupe**

* * *

Gareki's POV. . .

Instantaneously I jumped to my feet and pointed the blade end of my weapon at his face. My vision beginning to clear. "What the hell are you doing back here, Zeek?" I demanded through clenched fangs. "Yogi got rid of you."

His eyes radiated red against the shadows as he looked strait into my own glowing iris's. I gave him a quick look over and clarified to myself that he looked no different from the last meeting we had.

"You can't honestly trust that a terrestrial from another realm can keep me away. That's sad if you did." He chastised smugly.

My eyes squinted at him warily. "How did you get here? I'm guessing your sister's here too."

"Yeah she is. Our lord Vileus sent us here again, obviously. But this time we're getting our hands on that amulet and I won't let you get in our way. I won't let you protect him."

I lowered my glaive as I spared a quick glance at Yogi. He was still tied up but Zaphora was near him now. "Is that so?" I asked slowly, looking back at him as I placed the tip of my blade on the ground.

He took a step closer to me. "Yeah, it is." He looked down and suspiciously eyed my glaive. He dangerously looked back up at me. "I know you'd planning something—"

I swung my glaive upward, abruptly and focused my element of ice in the blade. I watched in slow motion as Zeek pulled his head back, starring at the sharp tip as it passed his nose. I had missed and I hated missing.

 _Dammit. I'm off course by an inch_. I yelled inwardly.

I switched the direction of my glaive, and instead swiped side ways after I'd taken a step closer to him, aiming for his stomach. He pulled back and was about to throw a strike of electricity at me but a wave of my ice magic had impacted his stomach after my blade had missed again.

He hit the wall with a lash of ice bracing him against it. He struggled to get loose.

The sound of attacking spells went off behind me and I whirled around, thinking they were aimed at me. But it was really Yogi's amulet shooting a defense for him at Zaphora as he worked his way loose from her whip.

Zaphora deflected his attacking spells with her hands as if they were nothing as she lunged forward towards him.

Yogi snatched one of his arms loose and reached for his sword for another means of defense but she stepped on his hand and formed a dagger with her magic and thrust down, preparing to stab him.

"Bad move!" I yelled before shooting a beam of electricity from my glaive at her. I hit her strait in the side of her stomach. She yelped, falling away from him before she could stab him.

Yogi grabbed his golden sword from the ground before getting to his feet. He turned to me and shock flashed across his face. "Behind you!"

I whirled around only to be gripped by the neck and hoisted up before being thrown to a wall.

Urgh! I grunted as my back connected against it strongly before I began to fall to the floor. But before I could, that same strong hold gripped my neck again before slamming me back to the wall, just as hard as the last.

I lost focus with the summoning spell of my glaive and felt it disappear in my grasp. I lifted my hands up and tightly held onto the wrist belonging to the hand that was choking me and tried to pry it off. But it was firmly held in place.

I looked up and saw that Yogi had gotten back in a fight with Zaphora who'd recovered from my last blow.

My eyes averted and glared at Zeek as he did the same to me. "You're not getting in our way this time. I'm sick of your sly tricks." He spat vehemently.

"Well you better get used to them because I'm not going to let you near him," I said in a warning tone.

He lifted an eyebrow but didn't lose the hard edge in his voice. "Really?"

I gripped tighter around his wrist. "Over my dead body." I spat.

He smirked darkly. "Be careful what you wish for." As soon as those words passed his lips my hands started to spark with static but I lost my focus as he pulled me away from the wall only to slam me back against it, hard. Causing an indentation in the place he had slammed me.

Another pained groan escaped me as I shut my eyes tightly.

He slammed my body against the wall again, and again, and again, and again, harder each time until my body went limp. He then threw me to the ground, still holding onto my neck as he placed himself on top of me.

"Any last words before I kill you?" He hissed. I coughed, opening my eyes.

I glanced over at Yogi who'd formed a shield in front of himself before glancing at me on que.

I flickered my attention back to Zeek. "Yeah, as a matter of fact I do," I said breathlessly.

He looked expectant.

"Yogi, defence mechanism. Now!" I pushed my hand forward and zapped Zeek in his eyes, causing him to push away from me and cover them while yelling from the pain.

Yogi lifted his hand towards us with his fingers outstretched as he threw quick fire balls at Zeek who hadn't seen them coming.

But before the flames could connect with him, a translucent, purple shield formed around him, causing them to disperse on impact.

I picked myself up, slowly because of the aching muscles in my back, and looked to Zaphora who had an arm stretched out towards Zeek as her hand glowed the same shade of purple the shield was.

"Shit." I muttered in irritation as I kneeled, and placed my hand on the ground, and sent a jagged stream of ice in her direction.

But she blocked herself from it with another shield forcing it to com to an abrupt stop at her feet. I muttered another curse as she threw forward her other hand and formed a sonic wave at me.

I felt the invisible force shove against my body before I threw my hands up, causing a small wall of ice to erupt from the ground and cover me as I placed myself behind it.

The strength of the invisible force was breaking my defenses. I peaked around the corner and saw Yogi in the same situation as me. He was farther away from her now though. So that left me in the range of making a clear shot. I needed to do something and fast.

I wasn't sure how much either of our shields could take of this sonic wave. But for the most part, I wasn't sure if I could make a good shot no matter how good my aim was with her throwing the waves at us so strongly.

I hadn't recalled this element of magic in her at all in our last fight. I thought she had fire just like Yogi. But I guess she had an element over sound too. Something felt off about her, same as her brother.

"Gareki?!" Yogi yelled, breaking me from my thoughts, as his shield began to crack from the pressure. "Subdue her, now! You're in her range. I can't hold my shield for much longer!"

I lifted my hand and focused a blast in my palm. "As if I don't know that!" I was about to make the shot when suddenly bolts of red and black static shot me in my shoulder. Breaking my focus as I hit the ground. And oddly enough. It hurt me. It had never hurt me ever since I'd gotten the element of electricity myself.

Zeek stepped over me and punched me in the face. I tasted blood immediately. He gripped my shirt about to make another hit on me but I spat blood under his eye before reaching up and back lashed him in his jaw with my elbow. That distracted him enough to where I could turn my head, regain focus, aim, and shoot the blast of ice at Zaphora.

The shot penetrated her shield like I thought it would and impacted her in her stomach, throwing her back as her body swarmed with ice, freezing her over. The sonic wave was no longer pushing against Yogi's shield.

I turned back to Zeek only to be punched again, twice.

"Bastard!" He seethed." You better not have just killed her or—"

A booted foot kicked him in the face before a golden blast of light shoved him off of me. I lifted my hand to where Zeek had fallen and froze him as well.

I leaned my head to the side and coughed blood from my numb mouth. "Thanks,Yogi." I rasped.

He wrapped an arm under my shoulders as I wrapped my arm over his shoulder, helping me stand as I leaned my head against him. A move I found too close but my cheek hurt so bad that it felt good to lean it against his warm body temperature.

"Don't thank me yet," he said. "We still have to fight them."He made a move to touch my bruised bottom lip but stopped himself and retreated his hand.

I could feel my miner injuries ceasing to exist. I pulled myself away from him, trying not to be eager with the want of his touch on my bottom lip but also the disgruntled sensation that he hadn't done so.

" I'm fine now. You don't need to hold me." I insisted, trying to create distance between us so my mixed feelings wouldn't get the better of me.

He nodded. "If you're sure?"

"I'm fine. Really." I made my voice sound convincing.

"Okay," he said.

I sighed before changing the subject as I pointed at his amulet. "I thought you sent them back to your realm. Why are they back here? You told me they wouldn't be able to come back."

Yogi shook his head. "This is impossible. I know I sent them away. I wasn't lying when I told you that."

"Clearly you must've made some mistake." I crossed my arms.

He pushed a hand through his blonde hair. "No, this isn't a mistake. My amulet never makes those. Something about them both being here isn't right. They shouldn't be here, at all."

I looked over to Zeek's frozen body before turning back to him. "Yeah. I already suspected something odd about both of them. But As you already know, my ability to freeze things doesn't last long so we might as well come up with a plan of handling these two now."

He just stared at me, blankly. I frowned at him before glancing down at his amulet. It was glowing golden.

"Yogi what are you doing?"

He didn't answer me, just kept staring without blinking. I waved a hand in his face. Nothing.

I watched as his amulet lifted from his chest and levitated in front of his face. The golden glow coming off of it made me lift my hand and block away the light.

"You do know that we have a 2 minute time limit until they both unfreeze." I informed. Maybe that would snap him out of whatever daydream he was in.

And just like that, his amulet dropped back down to his chest and dimmed down it's golden glow. I dropped my arm and looked at him as he finally blinked.

He looked taken aback as his eyes averted left and right before landing on me.

"What the hell was that all about? You just stood there." I gestured with my hands.

"A vision," he said flatly in a whisper. "It's been a while since the last time I had one. Weird."

"What did you see?"

He pointed to both Zeek and Zaphora. "I knew I was right when I told you I teleported them back to my realm. These two are fake. That's not their real identity. They're forming a glamour spell. A spell that is used to cloak or mislead the eye from it's true form. They also have stronger limits of magic then what our original enemies had. Which would explain the sudden sonic wave Zaphora shot at us."

"And the reason why Zeek's electricity hurts me." I added before staring at him knowingly. "Makes sense now. You saw all that?"

He nodded. "Yeah and I have a plan on how to defeat them." He crouched down and began to dig in the dirt.

I gave him a confused look. "What are you doing now?"

"My vision also showed me some type of bean that we're supposed to eat. I'll explain it to you once I tell you the plan." He stood up and opened his hand with two black beans sitting in his palm.

"Eat one." He offered.

I lifted an eyebrow before reluctantly taking one and swallowed it. There wasn't any time to refuse or question his words.

I listened carefully as he told me the plan and as we formed a wide and overlooked circle in the center of the hall way as he instructed we do for his plan to work. He directly finished telling me all the details as soon as the 2 minutes were up and both Zeek and Zaphora broke free from their ice confinements.

Zeek lifted himself up, dusting ice shavings from his arms before settling his red eyes on me. Zaphora eyed Yogi, or should I say the amulet around his neck.

Yogi and I stood ready side by side."Stick close to the plan." He whispered. " I hope your acting skills are as great as you say."

"I've had experience in my life time." I whispered back as my hands sparked with anticipation.

Zeek took a step over to us along with his sister. "I've had about enough of you you two. Nice ice trick, Avatar. But this is where all of it ends."

He lifted his hand and shot out a beam of static at Yogi but I jumped in front of him and formed a shield only for the bolt to burst through and hit me, thus causing me to crash into Yogi.

We both fell to the ground but I moved to my feet quickly and glowered at Zeek who had static zapping wildly as it snapped in his palms.

"You just don't know when to give up." I threw a long beam of static at him. He did the same and both our elements collided.

We both kept our arms outstretched, feeding our colliding elements for dominance.

"I should be saying that to you," he retorted. " although I guess you're too dense to realize it."

"No, I'm not the dense one here! You know this fight is going to be won by us. Just like the last fight and the fight before that."

His eyes glowed redder. "Trust me, that won't be happening again. I've got a few new tricks up my sleeve. And I'd be glad to test them out on you!"

Suddenly his beam of electricity grew bigger and stronger. It pushed against mine before connecting with me. Red and black static surged up my arm before over coming the rest of my body in painful pins and needles.

My focus over my own attack magic was robbed from me as I shut my eyes tightly. I could hear myself yelling from the overwhelming shock his electricity gave me.

"I bet you weren't expecting this. Were you!" Zeek shouted over my cries.

I sank to my hands and knees as Yogi stood in front of me forming a shield to stop the beam from hitting me. But Zaphora jumped him with a blast of her magic causing his defenses to shatter before he was thrown aside.

"Don't even think about getting in the way of their fight. You're my opponent, blondy!" She threw another blast at him, making sure he was away from me.

My arms weakened to hold me up right and I sank down to only my forearms holding me up. My eyes cracked open to see Zeek's boots right in front of my face.

His electricity was still swarming around me.

"Honestly, I was kind of expecting much more of a fight from you, Avatar. After all I've been told of how your race likes to fight. But this? This is really pathetic," he said deeply with distaste.

I glanced over at the circle Yogi and I had just made before glaring up at him."Don't call me pathetic, bastard." I clenched my hands into fist as I redirected his electricity that was swarming around me into my own before throwing it on him.

He was pushed back but didn't fall to the ground. He looked at me surprised as I formed an ice machete and lurched to my feet in his direction.

He reached back and yanked out his black sword before colliding it with my blade. We pushed against one another for dominance once more.

I felt his foot swipe away my feet causing me to fall back. I threw away my ice machete and caught myself by doing a back flip. Earning Zeek himself a swift kick under the chin with one of my feet.

I regained my stance and saw Zeek rubbing the redness on his chin where I had kicked him. He growled at me before shooting a bolt.

I ducked low while spinning with one leg stretched out as I focused my element of ice into my foot causing a wave of it to speedily fly over the ground in his direction before freezeing his feet.

I stood up strait again and he tried to take a step towards me but looked down at the ice holding him in place. He looked back up at me only to be punched strait in the face with my fist, hard.

He flew back, the ice around his feet breaking. I watched as he slid against the ground on his back.

"That's for disrespecting me, ass hole." I punched my fist into the palm of my hand. I turned my head to see how Yogi's end of the plan was going.

He was getting beaten up. I resisted the urge to help him. It was apart of the plan. He would be fine. Especially with those beans we'd eaten.

Inwardly I hoped this plan of his would really see through until the end. It may have sound full proofed but there could be complications that weren't expected.

"You should know better than to turn away from a fight!"

I turned around only to be struck with a bolt and thrown to the ground. I clenched my jaw tightly as his magic surged through me uncomfortably. I could feel myself twitching from the piercing waves of his electricity.

He stared down at me as I turned on my stomach and began to crawl over to the circle in the center of the hall we were in.

As I was doing this I gave Yogi another glance. He was shielding himself from Zaphora's sonic wave. His shield was slowly cracking. He returned my stare and that was when I gave him the que with my fingers that I was commencing with my part of the plan.

He gave me barley a nod as to not give himself away to Zaphora that we were clearly planning something. He turned back to his own fight and so did I.

I continued to crawl near the circle. I was a lot more closer to it now.

Suddenly Zeek stepped in front of me, into the circle but then he unexpectedly lifted me and dragged me over to a wall that was right beside it. But he wasn't stepping in it like I wanted.

He just had to make this difficult. He shoved me against the wall, holding me up by my neck. I could still feel the lasting effects of his electricity going through my body restricting my magic use.

But I could still defend myself with physical combat. I kneed him in the stomach causing him to double over. I grabbed him by the head and kneed him again in the face.

He retreated but recovered quicker then expected. He yanked out a dagger and sliced my calf. I groaned, nearly falling to my knees if it weren't for the wall's support. He reached up and swiftly stabbed me in the thigh. I yelped before falling to my knees, holding the wound tightly in both hands with the dagger still deeply inside.

"Fuck!" I yelled through grit teeth as I threw my head back against the dirt. I inhaled deeply. If I didn't get it out I couldn't heal which meant I'd bleed to death.

"Feel the pain, Avatar. This is the end for you," Zeek said as he gripped me tightly around my neck, forcing another surge of electricity through my body to the point every muscle felt numb and weak. Pushing me hard against the wall. His other hand forced the dagger deeper inside me.

"Stop!" My jaw was clenched so tightly I thought my teeth would break. I felt blood leak out of my fresh wound as a burning sensation built up inside it.

"I'm afraid not," he whispered wickedly close to my face. "I want you to feel every last inch of it."

"Zeek?!"

We both looked at Zaphora who held Yogi's amulet raised in her hand. I looked at the ground and saw Yogi laying there with blood rushing down from a wound on his temple. His eyes were closed and I instantly tensed. "The Sun Kingdoms prince is unconscious. Do you wish to kill him or should I do the honors?"

"You better not touch him!" I growled, trying to fight my way out of Zeek's grip.

They ignored me.

"You kill him," Zeek required.

"Don't you dare go near him!" Electricity spark from my body but it wasn't enough to shoot. Zeek smirked at my weak attempt of defense.

"He's gone. But soon you'll be joining him." He pulled me and slammed me against the wall. Urgh!

I shakily lifted my hands up to his wrist and tightened my hold on it. "You can't do this! I won't let you or her continue with this!"

Zeek eyed his sister as her hand pulled on her own dagger. She lit it on fire before crouching over Yogi. I struggled harder. "No!"

As soon as the word past my lips she stabbed him in his stomach. I watched in shock. Everything around me colliding with loud rumbles. I stopped breathing.

I froze and felt anger rushing through every part of me. As if everything that was happening was real. "I'm going to kill yo—"

Zeek yanked out the dagger in my thigh, let go of my neck, and plunged forward with the blade in my heart. I gasped, eyes widening as the rumbling around me increased in my ears.

I felt the muscles in me stiffen and my organs freeze over. My eyes widened more once he pulled the dagger out only to hold me in place as he stabbed me an additional three times in the heart.

Blood dripped from my mouth as I coughed and choked. It felt like my breathing was ceasing every two seconds. All the while Zeek watched me intently, smirking.

He pulled his hand away that was holding me up against the wall. I fell against him as he kept the blade inside me.

"F-fuck. . .you." I breathed my last breath as I slid away from him, falling to the ground.

* * *

Zeek looked down at Gareki's dead body. His smirk fell as he crouched down and grabbed him by the chin, looking his face over.

His eyes were dull, faded. The black slits in them were constricted. He looked down at his chest and found blood seeping out from the wound in his heart.

Zeek sighed. Closing his eyes as he shook his head. He stood up and looked over to Zaphora who was looking over Yogi's body.

His blonde hair once golden had grown silver. She reached forward and pulled one of his eye lids open and found a dull grey iris starring back at her. It was unfocused.

She let it go and watched as it stood open only a crack. She then looked at her fake brother and held the amulet up for him to see again.

He pursed his lips and ran a hand through his hair. "This isn't good, Lafida."

Lafida dropped her hand with the amulet in it down to her side. She glanced at Gareki's form on the ground. She thought how it was surreal to see a dead Avatar on the ground. A chosen one at that.

She looked up at her fake brother. They weren't even related by blood. They weren't even made of anything but plants. Assistants of Ivy to test both Gareki and Yogi here and now.

"They failed the test, Raditz." Lafida spoke sadly. "They aren't the chosen ones like Ivy thought. They were supposed to defeat us. But yet. . . they're dead."

Raditz shook his head slowly. He crossed his arms as he looked thoughtful. "By any chance do you think they found those beans. That they figured this all out before it could even happen?"

She paused for a moment and spoke. "They're is no way of telling if they ate them. But if they had, they wouldn't be lying here dead. They would be still fighting us."

Raditz looked at her sternly. "This wasn't supposed to happen. What if we really killed the chosen ones. Ivy is going to be furious with us."

Lafida looked away from him."He knows if they fail a final test then they weren't meant to be chosen to be next in line for becoming guardians of combining magic. I was really hoping these two would've put in more of a fight. The combining title fit them perfectly. It's a waste now."

He eyed her face before looking down at her hand. "On another note, what do we do about that?"

They both walked over to each other and stopped unknowingly in the center of the circle. "I don't know, she said. " Why don't we just—"

She paused in surprise as the amulet she was holding turned into a string and a palm sized rock.

Both of them looked at it completely taken aback. "It's a glamour spell. But how —?"

"Correct. You. Are." Spoke a slow voice. They both looked up and saw Gareki moving to his feet. He gave them both a serious look as soon as he was standing fully up. "I believe you're looking for this." He reached in his pocket and held up the real amulet.

They both looked at him warily. "You're alive." Lafida stated.

"I'm not the only one," he said before throwing the amulet over to Yogi who caught it as he sat up from the ground. He held up his amulet." Vos Ze Sotros." He spoke in Rimahakkian causing it to glow.

The circle they had made formed a translucent golden dome around both Lafida and Raditz. Locking them inside. Yogi then stood up.

"But we thought you were dead!" Raditz exclaimed.

Yogi looked at Gareki who had been staring at him and nodded once. Gareki nodded once too before they both lifted up their shirts and showed their puncture wounds.

Yogi in his abdomen and Gareki in his heart. They were both closing up.

"We ate those beans that you mentioned during your time frozen," Gareki said," which allowed us 20 minutes to be immune to death and heal. Also enough time to fight both of you and fake our deaths so we could know your true plan." They both dropped their shirts.

"We know you're not Zeek and Zaphora," Yogi spoke up, crossing his arms after he hung his amulet around his neck. "During the time Gareki had frozen you, I had a vision that showed me what you two really were and that you two were testing us for Ivy by fighting us and seeing if we succeeded in defeating you. It didn't tell me why Ivy wanted us to fight and win. So I constructed my own plan that made you believe you two had won this fight and had really killed us."

Yogi pointed at Gareki. "As Gareki had said, we faked our deaths by acting it all out in order to get in tell of what your plans were. We both knew that you two didn't really want to kill us, and in the state of regret you both were in after you thought we were truly dead, I assumed you both would discuss your plans. And you did. So now we know why Ivy wanted us to defeat you both."

"You both mentioned something about us becoming guardians for combining. I can only guess that Ivy tested us to see if we were worthy of becoming that." Gareki pointed out. "And if you're wondering why Yogi and I didn't just ask you in the first place is because we knew you'd try and keep silent and by doing it this way you'd spill details."

Both Lafida and Raditz looked at each other impressed before looking back at them. Raditz was the one to speak. "But why did you swap out your amulet? And why did you put us in this dome?"

Gareki spoke again."This 'dome' is actually called a revelation circle. It's to perform a spell so we can reveal your true forms. And the reason we swapped out the amulet was because Yogi didn't want Lafida to carry it with her inside the dome and risk it getting stuck in there with you guys. He needed to form this spell some how, so he gave it to me to hide during the time I froze you."

Lafida looked at Yogi. "I can't believe you actually performed a glamour spell."

Yogi sighed in aggravation from the strong doubt in her voice. It was like listening to Kiichi all over again. "Just because I have the elements over fire and sun doesn't mean I can't perform spells outside of those two."

"Right," she said. "You misunderstood me. I'm aware of your elements as well as your brain smarts. Both of you."

Gareki summoned his glaive and pointed his blade at her. "Good, then that means you know our capabilities. I think it's time to stop the explanatory talking now because I want some clarification. Tell if it's true that Ivy is testing us."

She frowned at me as Raditz tensed up. "What are you planning to do with that." He asked cautiously looking at his glaive.

Gareki took a step closer to the dome, continuing to hold his weapon out. "I plan on forcing some answers out of both of you. My magic over ice can penetrate this dome without breaking it but you two can't use your magic, that's the down side for you, not for me,"he said forcefully.

" Gareki stand down! We don't need to force it out of them." Yogi demanded.

Gareki stayed in place as he glanced at Yogi. "Don't act like you don't want answers. I can see it on their faces. They don't want to tell us. It's just like what I said."

"He's right," Raditz said," we can't tell you. It isn't our place to say what Ivy's intentions are for you two. But I'm sure you both can figure it out with what we said before. As for now continue with this circle of revaluation."

Yogi glared at Gareki, silently telling him to drop his weapon.

Gareki reluctantly lowered his glaive after a few seconds. "Fine, be that way. We'll figure out answers the hard way."

Yogi turned away from him and lifted his amulet from around his neck and held it out in his palm as he closed his eyes and focused.

A minuted passed before a slow breeze of wind picked up. Yogi opened his eyes that were glowing violet now. Sparks left his amulet as it levitated in his palm.

Gareki watched intently as he spoke in Rimahakkian tongue once more. "Von Zelip Nos Veztros."

He turned and watched as both Lafida and Raditz started to glow golden with golden specks swarming around them until they were completely covered in a spinning swirl. The specks spun fast. Then suddenly they burst apart showing nothing but an empty spot where they both had been standing.

Gareki glared at the empty space. "They're gone."

Yogi's eyes flickered back to their natural color and so did his hair. "Our immunity to death wore off." He said. "But where did they go?"

Gareki didn't answer for a few seconds as he eyed the dirt where they'd both been standing. "If their true forms were really plants like you said then I know where they are."

Yogi hung his amulet back over his neck before coming to stand next to Gareki.

"Where?"

Gareki pointed. Yogi looked closely through the dome at the two budding flowers in the soil right next to one another.

"There."


	26. The Giant

**A/N:Go and show some love to my new book DOMINATED a Gareki and Yogi lemon(:**

 **Thanks to those who have already done so.**

* * *

Yogi slid his wet hands against his face before dipping his head further into the small stream of water coming from a hole that lead up from the surface through a rock made shaft.

It was cold, a little bit dirty but it helped to remove the access blood from his earlier fight. He tilted his head down as he pushed one of his hands against the rocky wall to support himself as more water ran down his head, soaking his hair causing it to droop in his eyes.

He and Gareki were near the fighting grounds where the fake Zeek and Zaphora had fought them. They'd found this water passage way feeling it was necessary to wash off after they realized how much blood shed of their own was on them from their acted out deaths.

Supposedly he felt lucky that none of the blood had stained their clothes when cleaning them since it hadn't been on them long enough to soak into the fabric.

Yogi pulled away from the miniature water fall with his eyes closed as he pushed back his soaking hair before grabbing his dry clean button up shirt and put it on before buttoning it up. Sighing he asked,"how are your wounds? Have they healed completely?"

His voice echoed against the hollow hall way. Footsteps came his way. He looked up to see Gareki rounding the corner, water dripping from his toned tattooed chest. Shirt in hand.

"I'm alive aren't I. You're forgetting I got stabbed in the heart. I'm glad those beans actually worked or else I'd be dead for real right now." He replied matter of factly.

Yogi folded his sleeves up till they were above his elbows as he helplessly ogled the Avatar's half dressed form. From biceps to abdomen he appeared healed. Better than healed.

He was perfect in the revelation of bare skin.

Yogi massaged the back of his head with a hand as he averted his eyes away from the boy as if he hadn't been admiring his toned outlook. "Yeah I'm glad they worked too," he offered sheepishly before clearing his throat and became serious to the matters at hand.

"On another note, we still need to discuss what Ivy's intentions are. Or at least piece together the clues that we have from what Lafida and Raditz were talking about."

Gareki walked over to him and held out his shirt."Well we already got the main part down. Ivy is definitely testing us. Seeing if we're able to become guardians of combining just like Lafida said. He chose us."

Yogi took Gareki's shirt and gave him a confused look.

"Dry that for me." He clarified before walking away from him over to the revelation circle they'd made.

"Guardians of combining?" Yogi muttered as he eyed Gareki's strong back before looking down at his own empty hand and moved his fingers. A small flame puffed from his palm as he began to carefully dry Gareki's shirt.

"Yeah. It has an odd ring to it. Makes me wonder why Ivy would want us with a title like that." Gareki informed.

Yogi shook his head. "It beats me, but clearly he's still testing us if he wanted us to compete with Zeek and Zaphora again. They were strong opponents."

Gareki stopped near the circle and stared down at it. "I know he's testing us for guardianship but what is he specifically testing us for? And why did he send us off on a hunt for runes?"

Yogi thought about the first question. "If he's testing us for guardianship over combining then he wants to know how strong we are together. I mean that is what combining is all about. Working together, acting alike, strategizing with one another. So far during the last few days we've been working together perfectly. I'm sure the hunt for the runes was to test us as well on all of that."

Gareki looked up at him, shoving his black fingerless gloved hands into his jean pockets. " It makes sense," he admitted softly then he paused as if thinking about something.

He shook his head slowly as his eyes squinted. "I'm starting to question my existence. This whole time I thought I was just a regular Avatarian who gained the title of a prince living in a world of ice and snow."

He looked at Yogi more seriously as he turned his body to face him. "But now, we're obviously apart of something greater. Of course combining came to a surprise to me when we first did it but I never expected much to come out of it until now. I have a feeling that we're more powerful then we know of."

The flame in Yogi's hand distinguished as he stared Gareki in the eyes. A sudden chill went through his entire body just hearing him say that." Yeah," he whispered breathlessly," you're right. It hadn't occurred to me that we've been chosen for something so big."

"It leaves me a question though." Gareki turned back to the circle. "If Ivy's the one who chose us then what is he? It doesn't feel right to just assume he's a spirit. He has to have some bigger importance if he chose us for guardianship."

" True." Yogi agreed. "Though I'm sure we'll get answers soon enough. We are in his territory. I doubt we'll leave here with Pastel without getting at least a glimpse of him first." He handed him his shirt and only with slight disappointment watched him put it on. Covering up his perfect skin.

Gareki pulled the shawl muffler that once ruffled around his neck over his head so that now it looked like a loose hood. "Thanks." He offered.

"Sure."

Gareki glanced at the two flowers merged into the dirt in the center of the circle. He walked over to them and crouched down before reaching forward, lightly tracing a finger against a pedal causing frost to prickle and follow the trail his finger had made. Quickly he jerked his hand away.

He didn't want to end up freezing them which would cause them to die. When he thought about it he realized he wasn't completely cold hearted.

"If only they had told us more info about all this then we still wouldn't be having questions left unanswered." He said quietly.

Yogi stepped over to him. "What questions is that?"

" For one we don't know why he chose us or what a guardian of combining even is. Hell, we don't even know what his purpose in all this is. But we'll find out. Best not to just sit here wasting time." He stood up. "Pastel needs us."

"Good point." Yogi crossed his arms.

" By the way," he continued, turning to Yogi," I noticed the way your hair turned grey when we were faking our deaths and the language you were speaking when you were performing the revelation spell. Normally you'd speak my language when controlling your amulet. So what was that all about?"

Yogi cracked a small smile. " Yeah I'm guessing that surprised you a bit, huh?"

Gareki passed him and began walking down the green lit hallway."I guess. Mostly it just confused me."

Yogi followed after him. "That revelation circle spell is an ancient spell that went all the way back in time in my realm. It only works if I speak in Rimahakkian, my language. And as for the grey hair thing. . . um that's what happens when a Rimahakkian dies. I'm assuming my people's deaths is a lot different from yours."

Gareki gave him a side ways glance. " Definitely. For me I'd freeze over with frost. My brain would still function. But I can't talk, move, or eat. Technically my body would die but my brain wouldn't. This goes on until a five day period passes and then I'd be gone for good."

Yogi creased his eyebrows as he imagined himself being an Avatar and dying that way. He cringed. "That's terrible. Kind of lonely too and. . . scary. How do you know all that's going to happen?"

Suddenly a biting chill prickled at his skin as soon as the question passed his lips. Gareki visibly clenched his jaw, the bone flexing inside it. "I witnessed it. My mother informed me about it when my father died."

He instantly regretted asking the question. Not just because of the loss Gareki had gone through when finding out about it but the fact that he had transitioned from being cool and collected to angry and wanting vengeance on the Outsiders who had committed the crime.

Yogi didn't say anything, trying to give Gareki space to calm down as he rubbed his arm to rid himself of the chills.

Instead he busied himself by eyeing their surroundings. The hallway they were walking down continued with a curve. It felt like they were walking in a tunnel rather then a hall way though. Even for a tunnel this had to be the oddest one he'd ever been in. Which wasn't many.

The thick vines attached to the dirt walls continuously glowed green, making everything on his body as well as Gareki's to reflect the color. It was weird how they glowed without a source.

But something even more out of the ordinary pulled at his attention. At first he hadn't felt it. But now that they were trudging further into the tunnel he could sense it.

The pulsing. He lowered his head curiously as he meticulously closed into the sensation. Every pulse gave a push against his body. Not enough to shove him. But enough to just lightly let him know it was there. Everything around him from the soil and vines pulsed with energy.

He glanced at Gareki to see if he'd noticed it too. But he was still in his own world of wanting vengeance. Too angry and focused on one thing to notice the constant pulse around them that seemed to be following them.

But then it hit him. Maybe Gareki wasn't feeling it at all. Maybe it was only him.

Yogi outwardly frowned in confusion. He felt intrigued by this.

Was it only hitting him because he had the ability to summon vines from his magical sword. If so then it was amazing.

Everything around him wasn't just pulsing. It was a heart beat of life from nature. He could feel his heart melt at this assumption. He could feel every living plant in the area around him. And it wasn't even over whelming.

But he wondered to himself why this sensation was suddenly falling apon him now. Was it a new ability just like his element over fire.

What use would sensing plant life do? Would it even be eventful. That was a good question.

They continued forward with the same scenery for ten minutes.

Gareki felt like he was walking in circles. He sighed before glancing at Yogi. Figuring to ask him if he noticed that they were passing the same thing. But when he turned to ask, he found a far off look in the blonde's eyes. He turned back around. "Jeez you're doing it again. What are you spacing out about?"

He didn't answer. Infact he kept the look on his face.

"Yogi?"

Yogi blinked a few times before moving his eyes towards Gareki. "Huh, did you say something?"

An eye roll was made by the Avatar. "I was going to ask you if you noticed we've been passing the

same. . .thing. . .over. . .?"He trailed off as he noticed something in front of them. He stopped walking.

Yogi turned to see what he was looking at and came to a stop as well. In front of them stood two big doors that towered over them. Vines and tindrals of stringed plants were plastered against the dark grey stone it was made of.

It made the doors look as if they hadn't been opened in years.

Yogi took a step closer but jerked to a stop. He lifted a hand to his forehead and placed his fingers against it. The pulses were stronger now as if beckoning him forward which would be through the doors.

Something about the pulses was off though. Something felt different. They were more urgent.

He slowly turned his head back to Gareki. " We need to go through them."

Gareki snapped out of his haze and stepped up to the doors."Well obviously. It is the only way to go." Lifting a hand he placed it against one of the doors. Feeling over a crack. He then eyed a vine. Suspiciously he squinted at it before gripping it and yanked it away. He dropped the vine to the floor before ripping away another and another until the door was clear.

Their right in front of him, engraved into the door was a hole. Two of them side by side with familiar looking symbols carved into them. Both of them weren't deep. They were hollow enough as to where you could just stick your hand through and the hole would stop at your wrist.

He looked over to the other door and pointed. "Could you rip those other vines off."

Yogi disregarded the urgent pulsing against his body as he complied with Gareki's request. After he was done ripping away the vines he stepped back as Gareki looked at the two other holes with symbols carved into them as well.

"We've seen those." Yogi spoke up as he recognized the symbols.

"On the runes right?" Gareki asked, glancing at him.

Yogi nodded. Gareki stepped away from the wall and brought his hands up in front of him. He faced his hands palms up and fingers spread. Suddenly four white orbs of light popped out of no where, floating above his hands.

Yogi stared at them in awe as the white glow around them dimmed down revealing the four runes they'd collected. Automatically they each floated over to their specific hole that matched their symbol.

Each of them clicked into place with the white glow outlining them. The doors didn't open though.

Yogi stared at them. So they were keys not apart of some puzzle. But if they were keys then why weren't the doors opening.

"We need to say it together. Those words Kiichi told us." Gareki pointed out. " Remember?"

" Yeah. Do you?"

"Word for word."

"Let's say it. Count of three. One."

"Two." Gareki pitched in.

"Three," Yogi said.

"I call apon all guardians of the runes to open these walls and save our souls," they both said.

There was silence at first before a heavy lurch from the doors cracking open broke it..

Both doors gradually opened inwardly. Loudly scathing against the dirt flooring. As the doors opened wider they both could see from where they stood was a wide circular room. The walls were covered in the same green glowing vines from outside and the room was big, appearing vacant with a half circle of tall pillars with green fire.

They both took slow steps inside. Keeping a vigilant eye out for anything conspicuously lurking that was looking for a fight. Just then the doors came to a gradual close behind them.

They both turned and watched them do so before giving each other knowing looks. They turned back around to face the room.

"Don't let your guard down for a second." Gareki warned just as his glaive appeared in a bright glow into his hand.

"Right." Yogi whispered, not bothering to return the request since he knew Gareki was already doing it. Lifting a hand he rested it on the hilt of his sword as he circled his eyes around the room curiously.

Just then a pulsing wave jolted his body and this time it had been enough to shove him. He stumbled forward but not before catching himself before he fell.

The sound of him stumbling didn't go unnoticed. Gareki turned towards him. "What happened?" He asked on guard.

Yogi stood up strait, carefully as he eyed the atmosphere with a look of confusion. "I'm okay. Just tripped." He lied.

He heard Gareki mumble something about him to stop being clumsy and focus on what was in front of him next time. He turned away from Yogi to mind himself.

Yogi continued to stare at the atmosphere around him. Thinking how strange that jolt had been. Had the pulse really done that. Up till now it had barely been strong enough to push him.

He wondered what had caused it to shove him like that.

"The impulse of a life form." Spoke an urgent deep voice that echoed in his mind. Yogi froze. Stunned by the unexpected timbre of the voice.

"What?" He muttered to himself under his breath.

The voice left a lasting echo in his mind. He blinked as he listened to it closely. It died down in the back of his mind but yet he was still confused about what it had said.

"One of them has to have it." It spoke again just as urgently. He jumped at how loud it was in his head. Just a little bit.

He whirled around to look at Gareki to clarify that he wasn't crazy and hearing voices in his head. The voice had to be speaking aloud for them both to hear.

But alas Gareki was still minding himself. Looking as if he hadn't heard the deep loud voice at all.

Yogi shook his head slowly as he turned back around pushing a hand through his hair. "It's okay Yogi. You're not crazy. There is no voice speaking in your head." He tried to calm himself.

"I need it. The life form now!" Another strong pulse shoved his body forward. But this time he wasn't able to catch himself.

He fell flat in the dirt. He pushed himself up. The erratic pulsing against him making him feel nauseous and disoriented.

What the hell was it talking about?! A life form? The impulse? What?

"Yogi what are you doing?" Gareki's black Newton boots stepped into his view right in front of him. He gradually looked up the length of the Avatar's legs, stomach and chest before finally looking strait at his bored looking face.

He still felt disoriented. He stared at Gareki as if he didn't know what he just said.

Sighing Gareki grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet without difficulty. "Honestly, it's like you're not paying any attention at all."

Yogi stared at him. He was wondering when the voice would speak again.

"Are you listening?" Gareki questioned with slight irritation.

"I need it now!" The voice exclaimed.

A loud snapping sound made them both instantly turn around towards the cause only to see a swarm of vines forming into a giant bulky body made of dirt pulling itself away from the wall. Clusters of dirt flew everywhere from the giant's lurching movements trying to get free from the wall.

Yogi gaped as the monster towered over them. But he was mostly surprised that it didn't have a head. Instead in it's place was a gravitational bubble of water supported by four vines that acted like a gate around the bubble as if to keep it in place.

Yogi spared a glance in Gareki's direction, finding that he was unnerved by the monster walking over to them.

Gareki outstretched his arm against Yogi's chest. Pushing him back as he retreated a few steps with him. "What the hell is that thing?" He whispered more to himself then to Yogi.

He looked back up at the giant. It was more intimidating then anything they'd fought before. He could feel his heart beating in anticipation. Was this another opponent they needed to fight.

"One of you has to have it." The deep voice spoke in his mind again. "I know one of you can understand me so speak up and answer me!"

Yogi gave the giant an odd look. Was the voice coming from it this whole time.

He pushed Gareki's hand down and stepped forward as the giant came to a halt.

"Don't walk towards it." Gareki protested as Yogi walked past him. Yogi only ignored him though as he kept an eye on the giant. He stopped a few feet away from it before looking up, way up before speaking.

"What are you talking about? We don't have anything!"

Gareki shot him a confused look. Thinking he was yelling for no reason because the giant hadn't said anything.

"Lies. Lies! My life source is on the line. One of you has a longer life source. I will find it and I will take it."

Yogi lifted a hand to his head. The deep voice sounded angry and more urgent then the last time. But the pulsing was wild. It wasn't shoving him anymore but it was definitely hitting him.

"We don't have what you're looking for." He argued.

"Yogi what are you talking about? The giant's not talking," Gareki asked. Yogi looked back at him.

"I can hear him telepathically."

Gareki gestured with his hands. "What's he saying?"

Yogi opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the pulsing against his body. He whirled back around to the giant and saw a green aura of light radiating from it's body.

He thought his eyes were tricking him. He couldn't be the only one seeing this.

"Do you see that." He asked Gareki cautiously.

Gareki looked at the giant, thinking that Yogi was acting strange. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary to him. He didn't see the green glow Yogi was seeing. "I don't know what you're talking about. What is he saying to you?" He asked again.

Yogi ignored his question as he transfixed on the green glow. He focused in on the pulsing around him. They were weakening.

He sensed something else within them. They were still beckoning him. But this time it wasn't in a direction. It felt almost as if the pulsing was telling him "help". Help for what. He didn't know, but the sensation of their plea was unsatisfying and melancholy.

This was the heart beat of everything made by nature that was living. So of course he felt sad by their weakness.

Suddenly the pulsing changed course and led right to the giant. And then once again he understood what the giant was saying to him.

The pulsing had been coming from the giant this whole time.

The words the giant had been saying to him made sense now. He was dying. His life was shortening and now he wanted one of them with the longest life source to restore it. But how would he do that.

Yogi knew between himself and Gareki which one of them had the longest life source. Every muscle in his body tensed with defense.

Yogi warily eyed the giant with a glare. "How do you plan on taking our life source?"

"By sacrificing the victim." It answered.

Yogi instantly yanked out his sword and held it ready. "I can't let you do that. I understand that you're dying but you can't just kill—"

"He plans on killing one of us?" Gareki interrupted abruptly. The blade on his glaive already glowing with static.

Yogi glanced at him. "Not one of us, you." He whispered as to not let the giant know which one of them had the longest life span. He briefly explained to him what was happening and Gareki looked at the giant.

"He's not getting his hands on me, I can assure you that." He whispered back.

Yogi shook his head. "I don't know, Gareki. We shouldn't underestimate him. He might be stronger then you think."

Gareki twirled his glaive in one hand. "We'll see."

Yogi turned back to face the giant. "I don't want you to die but I also don't want you to kill one of us either. I don't know what to do."

The giant made a grumbling sound."Since you can't decide I'll have no other choice but to kill both of you instead."

He lifted his leg. Yogi quickly pushed his sword back into his holster as he felt his heart lurch with anticipation; knowing what the giant was going to do. He whirled around just as the giant brought his foot down.

"Move!" He yelled at Gareki as he ran towards him. He collided with him, wrapping his arms around his upper half before throwing them both on the ground rolling away from the giant.

Yogi closed his eyes as a loud boom was made from the giant's foot slamming against the ground. He and Gareki had just barely made it out of range from getting smashed.

After they had both stopped rolling he cracked his eyes open, seeing dust from the dirt floating in the air. He inhaled a steady breath before lifting himself up and away from Gareki who sat up from the ground.

"You okay?" He asked breathlessly, standing up.

"I'm fine. Thanks," Gareki said, grabbing hold of his glaive before standing up as well. Yogi yanked his sword free from it's holster once more as he and Gareki stood back to back unable to see anything around them because of all the dust.

"Tell me if you see anything." Gareki informed.

"Yeah." Yogi replied. His eyes scanned the area around him looking for a hint of the giant beyond the dust, but the thick dust stood in his view. He couldn't make out anything.

He looked up and just like that a swift vine flew down and smacked him across his face hard before pushing him aside.

Yogi grunted as he hit the ground. He looked up to see Gareki cutting more vines that came his way. But they would always multiply. One vine swiped his feet from beneath him making him fall on his backside before wrapping around his ankles. Gareki reached forward with his glaive to cut them but another vine wrapped around his neck and wrist yanking him back down.

"I found you both." Spoke the deep voice in Yogi's head. Yogi ignored the giant as he pushed himself back to his feet to help Gareki but a vine wrapped itself around his neck too. It threw him to the ground. He landed on his stomach where more vines slithered and wrapped along his body despite his actions with cutting some of them, more always replaced the ones that had fallen.

"You can't do this! There has to be another way for you to live. I can help you!" He desperately offered as he struggled to move the hand that was gripping his sword. He couldn't move it. It was the same with the rest of his body.

"You can't possible help me. This is the only way." The giant argued

He averted his eyes over to Gareki who was still laying on his back trying to wiggle himself free of the vines that had wrapped around his limps.

He reached his free hand out that hadn't entirely been covered in vines towards Gareki's and managed to grab his. Maybe he could redirect the vines so they were no longer holding them. That is if he had enough time to focus.

Gareki stopped struggling and glanced at Yogi looking half startled by his hand grasping his, but his expression calmed once he realized it had only been him.

They had only been starring at each other for three seconds before the vines covering Gareki's body yanked him up from the ground, forcing him to let go of Yogi's hand as he was pulled all the way up and out of sight in the thick clouds of dust.

"No!" Yogi yelled in dismay as he reached his hand up after the Avatar. But Gareki was already gone.


	27. Give Or Take

**Music Choice— Rihanna— We Found Love**

 **It's like you're screaming, and no one can hear**  
 **You almost feel ashamed**  
 **That someone could be that important**  
 **That without them, you feel like nothing**  
 **No one will ever understand how much it hurts**  
 **You feel hopeless; like nothing can save you**  
 **And when it's over, and it's gone**  
 **You almost wish that you could have all that bad stuff back**  
 **So that you could have the good**

* * *

Everything had happened quickly. Way too quickly for him to fully process the events that just occurred. He felt everything around him closing in.

A rumbling sounded off in his ears making him feel as if he were in a different location. He was confused by his surroundings now. The dirt swirling in the atmosphere around him was a cause for that.

It was safe to say that he had lost his sense of mind for a temporary time period of seconds.

But then it all came rushing back. Like a heavy wave inside his head causing a pulse of a headache against his skull. He snapped back into reality and realized the wave had been another strong pulse pushing against his body from the giant.

Yogi gasped as he collected his barrings and senses, his eyes blurring back into focus. He was starring up at his still outstretched arm in the direction Gareki had been pulled away from him. That's when it dawned on him.

The giant was going to kill him. Almost immediately after thinking that, Yogi felt his heart beating much quicker now. Anxiety took over. Gareki was going to die —if he wasn't dead already—if he didn't do something. How long had he been laying here like this. How much time had passed.

He raked through his thoughts trying to find a link to speak with the giant telepathically. He felt as if there was a way for him to speak to it from his thoughts instead of it just being a one way link for the giant's part.

It took a few second to find a link but once he was hooked he spoke thoughtfully his request.

Asking him not to kill Gareki.

But the undoubtful silence in his conscience clarified that he was ignoring his request. Yogi cursed aloud, not liking the fact that he was being ignored at a time like this. "This can't be happening." He whispered.

The vines that were wrapped around his body gradually slithered up the length of his outstretched arm, pulling it down until it met up with the ground where they tangled themselves around his fingers. Prickling thorns poking at his skin.

Their goal was to keep him from moving and they sure as hell were succeeding. He felt surprised for a second, he'd forgotten they were there, he'd been so focused on trying to communicate with the giant. He tried to maneuver his arms as an attempt to get them free, but the vines were restricting him from doing so. They were a lot stronger then he'd initially thought.

He dropped the side of his face onto the ground. His neck was cramping from holding it up for so long. How was he going to get out of this situation in time to help Gareki. He assumed he was being timed in light of the situation.

Of course he knew Gareki was strong. And could hold his own in a fight highly well. But this was a giant. Not an opponent that was easily defeated with how small he was compared to it's size and strength.

As far as he knew. Gareki was going to die quickly if he wasted time being tide up like this. He attempted another movement to get free or at least incline his sword so he could cut some of the vines loose. His sword was closest to his leg so the decision of where to start cutting was already made for him.

If he succeeded in cutting them then he would need to act quickly to cut the rest before more vines came to replace them.

He eyed the hand he held his sword in and gradually with the restriction of the vines, moved his wrist in the direction of the calf of his leg. An inch he had made it over before he was forced to stop. The vine's slack wasn't enough for him to reach over completely and cut the ones he'd intended. And it wasn't like he could choose another area along his leg to cut free.

Because not only could his sword reach that one spot he'd planned but also the fact that by cutting the vines along his calf it would have potentially freed him enough to where he could move.

He cursed aloud again. He didn't have a secondary plan.

The vines were hindering him from focusing on his magic with their constant stabbing of thorns in the exposed skin on his body so that idea was a no go. So what was his next move.

Suddenly the pulsing that he had found out was coming from the giant increased. Now it just felt overwhelming against his head and now his body. The urgent heart beat coming from the living plants that made up the giants body were begging for another source of energy. Another source of life to regenerate it's own.

He guessed it was for Gareki's life source. They were craving it. But if they were craving it this much without calming down then maybe the giant hadn't absorbed his life source yet. Which meant Gareki had escaped from the vine's grasp on him and wasn't dead yet.

A strong sense of relief fell over his anxiety but it wasn't enough to fully dispose of his worries. Everything still wasn't danger free. The fight wasn't over until he was sure of it.

But now with all the erratic pulsing he couldn't think strait. It felt like a headache was beginning to splinter off within the depths of his brain. Hindering his ability to use his magic further. But he needed to do something to free himself.

Gareki may have been in the clear now. But he wouldn't stay that way for long.

He wouldn't forgive himself if he let Gareki die when he could have a chance to stop it. He closed his eyes tightly wishing that he wasn't tide up with no escape to help his comrade.

He should have acted more quickly before Gareki and himself had been wrapped up. He could've controlled the vines. But no. He'd been too slow and now his actions were punishing him by indangering the only person he loved the most in this realm.

"I'm sorry." Yogi whispered, hearing the crushing words of defeat made him ache painfully inside with crestfallen emotion. Mostly in his heart. Was this how it was like to loose someone you loved.

Feeling weak. Empty. As if nothing else in the world mattered but that person you had affections for. He couldn't live with it. Something so sad that endlessly burdened your emotions to the point where all you wanted to do was cry.

"Are you just going to lay there and let this happen?" Spoke a familiar voice. He'd heard it in the back of his mind and at first thought he was hearing things as he kept his eyes closed.

That had sounded way too much like his father. But he refused to think it had been. His mind was already clouded over with a new death he couldn't stop from happening. It was best not to think about the past ones he couldn't stop either. Within that time he'd been weak, just like now. Funny how the past bit back at you in the present.

"Do you wish to put yourself in a weakened state again? No son of mine will die like a coward let alone be one."

Yogi snapped his eyes open. That had been his father speaking. He held his breath at the startling realization. He didn't know what to say— think. The words impacted something deep inside him that now awakened. Something strong and unrelenting.

It had been so long since he'd heard his father's voice. Even his mother had spoken to him. Both of his parents must've been watching over him as souls if they could communicate with him.

"Don't put weakness on our family's name as well as our kingdom. Get up and be stronger. You can't afford to let us down nor can you for the sake of our kingdom."

He continued to hold his breath. Eyes widening as he came to realize he was giving up without even a second thought of the things he would be sacrificing. His father was right. He couldn't just lay here and give in. That wasn't how things were supposed to work out. That wasn't his purpose here.

A strong sense of pride and determination fueled him. No way was he going to loose all the things precious to him that he had worked so hard to build.

His body began to glow a golden hue as he channeled his power within every fiber of his being.

The amulet around his neck began to glow as well.

"I command you. Release me!" He ordered firmly to the vines. On command all the vines that were wrapped around him snapped and shriveled into green specks. He stood up, gripping his sword as he stood in the center of the dust cloud that was continuing to fog the atmosphere around him.

He lifted his sword and threw the blade down, driving the tip into the ground. "Thorn Kiste!" Yogi felt the vibrations of the ground on the souls of his boots. Vines of his own broke free from the soil and spun in a wide circle around him.

Their rapid spins created a world wind and blew away the dirt that was fogging his view of the giant. Wiping strands of hair that blew in his eyes with a single hand he commanded them to stop spinning once the dust was clear.

As soon as they stopped another strong pulse pushed him. Suspecting the giant had done that he tightened his hold on his sword that was still driven into the dirt to keep his ground, managing to do so even after it passed.

Now that I finally got out of that I need to find Gareki. He thought as he looked up at the giant, following a sudden intuition that Gareki was some where on him, it was odd how he could sense the Avatar's where abouts without difficulty, must've been some new tapped ability that just now became known to him.

The giant was standing in the same spot before he had tried to smash them. He was swatting at something on his arm.

Yogi inched forward for a better look. The giant was swatting at a figure that looked as if it were running quickly. He stared at the small figure from his view point all the way on the ground as it headed up the length of the giant's long forearm.

Then it hit him. That figure was Gareki. He watched as the Avatar continued running, he was half way near the crease in the giants elbow, glaive in hand. The blade end glowing blue.

Gareki stabbed the giant in his arm as he sprinted, keeping the blade lodged into the arm of it's victim. Causing a long slice to trail after his weapon. He unleashed his element of ice into his blade, causing a stream of it to erupt from where he had cut the giant.

The ice followed his glaive, spreading wide over the giant's arm. Soon his whole limb would be frozen over.

He reminded himself not to stay distracted on what he was doing with his glaive just as he spotted in his peripherals vines coming his way, he located their position and noticed they were coming from the giants other arm. Hence the one he was currently on was nearly frozen over and proved to be useless to create an attack.

He pulled his glaive free before swinging it in their direction. He cut them all in one swift go, but more came. He realized he was out numbered and made his escape by jumping but not before grabbing two of the back up vines. He swung his way over to the other arm before leaping over and landed on the giant's forearm.

The vines he'd used as support lashed out at him but he cut those before continuing to run up the length of his enemy's limb.

Yogi creased his eyebrows suspiciously. Wondering where Gareki was going as he kept a close eye on the Avatar's movements. He looked determined to make it up the giant's arm. Was there something he was after.

Gareki ducked forward. Managing to dodge more vines, he felt their faint sensation whiz over his head in a quick breeze of air. After passing them he thought he was free to go but one of them grabbed hold of his leg and pulled him down. He fell forward, putting one of his arms out to catch himself. But before he could, he was abruptly lifted and carried over to the giant's hand.

He hung precariously. He attempted to cut his leg free but another wrapped itself around his wrists. Proclaiming him defenseless as he wiggled and tried to jerk his arms free.

Yogi clenched his jaw. The giant's actions needed to come to an end, he was definitely going to kill Gareki now. "Stop what you're doing, giant! This isn't right. You can't just kill for your own personal gain. Let him go!" Maybe, just maybe he could reason with him one last time before he would need to inflict with his magic. That is if he refused to listen.

Gareki glanced down at him after he yelled that.

Yogi yanked his sword free from the ground and held it in front of himself just in case vines were thrown in his direction.

The giant grasped Gareki within his fist before lifting him up to the gravitational bubble of water that claimed itself as a head.

"Don't interfere. Your chance at death will be next." He spoke. Yogi lifted two fingers and placed them against his temple. His voice had been loud in his mind. It only caused the headache to worsen.

"I won't allow you to kill him." He managed to say between clenched teeth. He regripped the handle of his sword with his other hand before taking a step forward. It was then he saw the giant throw Gareki within the bubble of water.

He watched as it rippled once he was inside. He glared at his enemy before taking another step forward. The amulet around his neck continued to glow as it floated right in front of his face, ready for his command to attack.

Yogi opened his mouth to speak but before he could another strong pulse made him pause. It was different from the ones he'd felt before. It was as if it were prying inside him—his mind. He creased his eyebrows as it suddenly became difficult for him to move any part of his body.

He didn't understand what was happening. But he could only assume the giant was trying to hold him back from saving Gareki's life. It was like he was smothering away his persistence. He could feel the pulse falling down on him. An invisible force that was gradually becoming harder and harder to push against.

"I won't allow you to interfere! You don't stand a chance against me!" The giant sent another strong pulse down at him.

Yogi felt his grasp on his sword handle loosen. He heard the blade clatter to the ground before silencing. He was struggling to move, to use his magic. Everything became difficult.

"You can't do this!" He spat severely through quivering lips. He gave himself a little credit for being able to move his lips at all. Speaking had been tough. Looking up he saw Gareki having a struggle of his own. He was in water and Yogi knew he wouldn't be able to hold his breath for long. He needed to do something but what. The giant was holding him captive in the very spot he stood.

They were both in trouble with little options to get out of it.

"I do what I wish. You had a chance to surrender yourselves to me but yet you failed to do so. Now you suffer the consequences and die."

Yogi felt an overwhelming wave of pressure push him down. Closing his eyes tightly he fell to his knees before falling forward onto his hands. Perspiration began to bead his forehead as he kept his eyes shut. Shacking was all he could feel his body doing and it wouldn't cease no matter how hard he tried.

Inhaling a slow breath, he tried to control the tremors of his body but even that proved to be difficult. It was as if the air he breathed was thinning. He needed to pull himself together. Gareki's life counted on it.

Gareki pushed forward in the water and brought up his hands against the clear dome he was in. He lifted his glaive and pressed the blade against it and began to hit it hard. Hoping he could crack it open.

He could feel a small pressure building up in his chest and his heart beating faster as it became apparent that he was running out of air and needed to breathe soon.

But even as he banged his glaive against the dome it stretched with every hit he gave it instead of cracking. He found that to be weird and troublesome at the same time. It was like the dome was made of some clear elastic substance. It didn't even tear from the sharpness of his blade.

He pulled back and raised his hand before throwing a shot of electricity at it. Nothing happened. He looked all around himself but couldn't find any weakened points he could shoot at. Everything looked solid.

The pressure was building up within him. He couldn't hold his breath any longer. He closed his eyes and threw his head back as he opened his mouth unleashing the final bubbles of air held in his lungs. The pressure was released, no longer prodding at his chest as water forced itself down his throat and nose in a rush.

He surprising felt at ease that it had been released despite the uncomfortable surge of water replacing the air that'd once been set in place inside his lungs. But something else felt odd about his body.

Opening his eyes only a crack he looked up to see blue glowing specks fluttering away from him. He thought he was imagining it at first as an effect of his consciousness about to die from the lack of air. Blinking he opened his eyes wider and trailed the specks, finding out they were all coming from him.

Lifting his arm in front of his face he saw the specks coming off fluidly. Like flying tiny dots lifting from his skin. And subconsciously he felt himself nearing death. He figured it out.

This was how the giant was planning on killing them to save his own life.

He closed his eyes again. He hadn't thought he'd allow his own death to be this way. Let alone give into it without trying to resist. It was time to stop running. Right now only a miracle would save his life.

As if on que Yogi's face came into mind. As if he were really right in front of him at that very moment. His violet eyes holding his own were serious and relentless as if they were holding a strong sense of emotion that was pointed at him and only him. His face much like his eyes matched with a hard expression, mostly serious.

His lips formed Yogi's name as his heart gave an excited jolt even though it was slowing down.

They were connected in a way which meant Yogi would be at a loss without him. It was a sad thought now that he considered it. He didn't want to leave his side. Not after all the things they'd been through and experienced together. Everything that he learned and the emotions he didn't know he had, and the way Yogi treated him like no one else did that had been ordered to because of their royal boundaries.

He didn't force the way he talked to him. It was natural.

Slowly he pulled himself over to the dome wall and placed his forehead against it. In his mind he apologized to Yogi, putting all his emotion into that one sorrowful word. There was this distinct sensation inside his chest that he'd never felt before.

He couldn't decipher it but it felt like he'd lost something so important that he felt as if he'd never see it again. He slowly lifted his hand against the dome's surface as he closed his eyes.

Could he really just die like this without fighting. He was stronger than this, he knew. Yogi wouldn't have wanted this for him and he didn't want this for himself either.

It was almost as if he could feel Yogi's body warmth now, so close but faint at the same time. Funny, now he really was imagining things. But little did he know that he actually wasn't.

Yogi recalled the words his father had said and summoned his strength. "I can't. . .I can't let it end here." He spoke with little difficulty.

He clenched his hands into fists against the dirt. He could feel Gareki. It wasn't the familiar heart beat of his magic but. . . it was him. . . altogether. His body and mind. He was alive and fighting for it.

That was all the strength he needed. He reached forward and quickly took hold of his sword and stood up. His body and amulet still glowing. He held his sword out in front of his body as he felt his body heating up.

The sensation of flames took over his mind making him way more emotional. He could feel heated anger towards the giant.

His voice was loud and firm as he spoke. "I asked you to let him go, pleaded with you and yet you choose to ignore. You have no idea how angry that makes me. And what makes me angrier is when you hurt the ones I care about. You don't deserve my sympathy. You deserve to die."

The giant kneeled before him but it wasn't at all respectful. It was someone looking down on a person who had little importance. Yogi looked up at him with a glare as he eyed Gareki's body floating in the water.

He was still alive he could feel it but barely.

"What can you possibly do to harm me? I'm stronger than you." The giant informed concededly.

Five balls of fire blazed into existence behind Yogi in a half circle as he continued to place a hard stare on his enemy. "That's where you're wrong." He said dangerously.

He thrust his sword outward and all the fire balls flew swiftly at the giant, hitting him square in his chest. They each burned a hole through him. He yelled painfully while moving backward.

Yogi created another set of five. Clenching his jaw and getting angrier as the giant refused to let Gareki go.

"Drop him!" He yelled with rage. The giant only flinched from the fire but refused to comply with his request. Yogi drew his eyebrows together, reaching back he grabbed a fire ball and threw it at the giant, watching it burn a hole through his shoulder. "I said drop him!" He commanded.

The giant lifted his hand and formed it into a fist before bringing it down on top of him.

But before he could smash him, Yogi created a dome shield around himself. The giant grumbled in dissatisfaction as his fist connected with the strong shield that had been made by Yogi's amulet. It was stronger now because of his emotions.

The giant moved away his hand.

As soon as he did so Yogi shoved his sword back into the holster at his hip before lifting both his arms up, dispersing his shield and threw the remaining fire balls at him, making sure to stand clear of hitting Gareki.

The giant yelled painfully once more as he rocked back from the flames coating his chest. Burning the vines he was made of. But Yogi wasn't finished.

He focused heat into his right hand as he summoned flames from his skin. They ignited from his finger tips first before crawling up the length of his hand where more flames puffed out from his palm, slithering up his wrist until his entire forearm was on fire.

"I'll make sure your death is quick." He waved his arm out in front of himself causing the fire to fall away from his skin and form itself into a wave that quickly cut through the air and hit it's target.

It sliced through the giant's midsection causing his upper half to fall forward. He took a few steps back as his body fell right in front of him. Wind from the giant's weight breezed past his face as he stared at his shriveling body that was being consumed by the flames. He was dead and the flames would dispose of his body.

He took his eyes away from the giant and instead brought them onto Gareki's body instead. He moved forward quickly and jerked out his sword. He placed a hand on the dome and felt the elastic surface. He lifted his sword and attempted to insert it through, making sure he wouldn't stab Gareki by angeling it in another direction.

But when he went in to make the incision he found that his sword wouldn't go through. Pushed harder but the dome repelled his blade.

"I'm not giving up that easily." He muttered while putting his sword back into it's holster he then placed both of his hands against the dome. He had an instinct that maybe this idea would work. And at this point he would try anything.

He inhaled a slow breath as he focused on the heat of his hands. Channeling a heat wave within his palms and finger tips.

He continued doing this for a whole minute but nothing was happening.

"Come on," he fidgeted,"please work." He could feel Gareki's life becoming nonexistent. Time was running out quickly

His hands glowed red as he continued to focus. He tightened his grip against the dome as it began to melt away like clear wax. He glared as he melted away the first layer, soon melting away the second. That was when water began to leak out from holes that'd been melted away.

He pushed forward causing the dome to break completely. Water flooded out and slammed against his midsection but he managed to keep standing. Gareki's body fell forward, he reached out and caught him, holding him close against his chest and leaned his head on his shoulder as he dragged him further out of the dome onto dry ground.

Yogi quickly pushed his own hair out of his eyes as he examined Gareki's pale face. Blue veins made themselves indentations below the skin of his neck and chin leading all the way up underneath his closed eyes. Yogi frowned.

This must've been the cause of most of his life being taken away from him inside the dome. He thought as he glanced down at Gareki's equally pale and veiny hand.

He hastily pressed his hands on top of each other on Gareki's chest and began to push down, pausing every now and then before pushing down again. He did this three times before leaning forward with his hand and parted the Avatar's lip before connecting his own with his.

He blew air in his mouth before pulling away and added pressure to his chest again.

He didn't know how long he'd been doing this same maneuver but he knew that a moment had passed him already.

And still Gareki wouldn't open his eyes.

He continued pushing down on his chest and exchanging air through his mouth but he wouldn't move or give any sign that he was still alive. But Yogi refused to believe he was dead.

Strands of his hair that he'd pushed back fell back into his eyes as he continued pressing down on his comrade's chest. His jaw clenching every time he did so. He thought he would break his teeth sooner or later.

"Come on." He breathed desperately. "Come on!"

He leaned down again and pressed his lips to his before breathing air down his throat. He pulled away and swiftly pushed his blonde hair back all over again before continuing to press down on Gareki's chest.

A prickling stabbed behind his eyes the somewhat painful sensation soaring down to the bridge of his nose. He reached up and wiped the tear that'd escaped.

"You're not dead! So please. . .please just open your eyes again." He heard his voice crack on the last word. This couldn't be real. It wasn't, he couldn't think it was.

Despite him trying to keep the tears at bay they always came flooding back. Heavier than the last. He hadn't recalled a time he'd cried so hard since the passing of his mother and father's murder. That'd been a long time ago.

He stopped his actions and stared at Gareki's pale face. Leaning down he placed his forehead on top of the Avatar's chest. His body stopped glowing golden as the anger he felt diminished into defeat.

The hot temperature of his skin cooled down to warmth. Pressing his forehead a little harder on Gareki's chest he trailed it further down till he reached the center of his rib cage.

He shut his eyes tightly, allowing the tears to squeeze out entirely and fall down the length of his lashes before dropping onto the fabric of Gareki's black shirt.

If his death was real then there was a part of Yogi that felt as if it had died too. He and Gareki were connected for sure he knew that. Not magically anymore but physically.

Yogi continued to lean his head on his chest as he picked the upper part of his body up and hugged him tightly. He may have killed the giant that had caused this but he still didn't feel better.

He stayed there in that same position for a whole minute before something snapped into his senses. Something strong and whole over came him like a presence was near.

Keeping his eyes closed he kept his attention on it. Ever so slowly he felt it growing. As if life were being breathed back into—

His eyes flew open and he pulled his head away from Gareki's chest. He stared at his face, eyes trailing down to his neck only to see that the blue veins were fading back into his skin. His complexion transitioned back into a healthier tone. It wasn't as pale as it had been but still he was pale.

Yogi lost his breath as he saw his eyelids move. He could feel it now. His life source. It was then he saw tiny blue specks of light fluttering down to Gareki's chest a bright light blinded him as soon as they made contact with him.

But he kept his eyes trained on the scene, not wanting to look away for a second. He watched the glowing specks absorb themselves into his chest. This must've been his life source returning to him that had been stolen by the giant.

It was about time that it came back. He sighed feeling beyond relieved.

"Gareki," he said quietly as he watched the last of the specks go inside of him. The glow died down until he could see his face again. He loosened his arms but still held him.

He stared down at him. A lasting thought that maybe he was still dead crossed his mind but he buried the thought. No, he felt his heart beat which was enough proof that told him he was alive.

All at once Gareki snapped his eyes opened and gasped deeply. His iris's frantic for a few seconds before he quickly turned away from him and threw up water on the ground. Yogi still kept his arms around him but loosened up enough so he could get the water out of his system.

He couldn't help but to let out another sigh. Gareki would be fine now. He was alive, that's all that mattered.

He gave the Avatar a meaningful rub on the back as he finished coughing up water and was now trying to catch his breath.

A moment passed with silence. Yogi felt like he needed to break it—no, he wanted to. "Can you stand?" The question was quiet.

From his view point of the side of Gareki's face he saw him part his lips before speaking weakly. "I thought. . .I was dead for sure. I saw it. . .my life flashed before my eyes." Water dropping from his pink lips.

Yogi felt strongly about hugging him again but felt like that would be pushing things into something awkward so he held back his needs with just the feel of Gareki's back where his hand was placed.

"I'm glad you're not." He said those words but they held so much more meaning within them. Gareki's blue-grey eyes moved over to his face. The way he had said it didn't go unnoticed by him.

Yogi stared at his eyes watching as they searched his face. Gareki saw the pain and sadness behind his watery eyes. The emotions he didn't hide.

Yogi blinked at Gareki as he kept starring. Wondering why his eyes stayed in one place, lingering on his own as if he saw something in them— as if he were seeing something deeper inside them.

Before he knew what was happening, he felt Gareki's hands feeling up the sides of his abdomen, trailing up his lower back before coming to a stop on his shoulder blades. He felt his chin rest on his shoulder.

Yogi's eyes widened in surprise as he realized what Gareki was doing. He froze for a few seconds before gingerly bringing his own arms around the Avatar's upper body, returning the hug.

Gareki was hugging him. An action that seemed so shocking, and perfect, and care free for him because he hadn't thought Gareki was the type to give hugs at all.

He closed his eyes, burying his cheek in Gareki's hair as he hugged him closely. "I'm so glad you're not dead. You have no idea how angry I was. I killed the giant but I wanted to do so much more for you." He whispered.

Gareki slowly shook his head from left to right against his cheek. Basking in his scent as he allowed the Sun Kingdom's prince to pull his body closer to his own. "You're always going far for me and I don't know why I deserve it. But I appreciate everything from you. You know that right?" He asked sternly.

Yogi smiled against his neck as he nodded. "I know the real you now, and you deserve it. Never think other wise."

"Maybe I won't, we'll see," Gareki said.

"Well looks like my absence has left you both with some high emotions." Spoke a familiar British voice in a bored tone.

Both of them pulled away from each other and turned to see the Russian Blue cat, Pastel pattering over to them.

"Pastel?" Yogi asked, feeling shocked to see him again for what seemed like forever.

"Who else would I be?" He flicked his thin tail once he made it over to them. "It's good to see you both here, finally." He offered a small smile.

"Finally is right," said Gareki picking up his glaive and standing up. Yogi stood up as well, looking around. " Where'd you come from?"

Suddenly a breeze of wind blew past all of them. They all turned and faced the half circle of pillars with flames on top of them as two figures appeared in green and violet puffs of hazy smoke.

They each waited till it cleared, both Yogi and Gareki standing guarded just in case the figures ended up being trouble.

But once the smoke cleared Pastel spoke.

"You two should calm down. Both Ivy and Ashanova are your superiors. You want to learn the truth about yourselves I suggest you show respect. After all, you two are next in line to be guardians."


	28. Guardians

**Music Choice—Let Me Love You—Justin Bieber**

 **I Used To Believe, We Were Burning**

 **On The Edge Of Something Beautiful,**

 **Selling A Dream, Smoke And Mirrors Keep Us Waiting**

 **On A Miracle**

* * *

"So that's them?" Yogi stared at the figures in front of them. He was trying to clarify if these two were really Ivy and Ashanova.

Pastel turned to him. "Yes, they are."

Gareki took his eyes away from the dissipating smoke and placed them down at Pastel who gave him a knowing green eyed gaze.

He pulled his eyebrows together and asked carefully,"How'd you know?. . .About us being guardians?"

He suddenly got the suspicion that Pastel knew way more than he and Yogi did. Was he somehow behind all this too. To get them here in Ivy's territory.

He considered the thought that Pastel may not have been kidnapped by Ivy and just decided to go along with him just to get them here. It set a chill down Gareki's spine despite his already cold body temperature. If Pastel had allied Ivy in his plan to get them here—after he and Yogi wasted so much time in Lim Fay, nearly getting themselves killed by everything they did just to get here and save his furry ass—then he wasn't just going to allow that to slip.

He was vexed by this assumption. He and Yogi may have survived getting here. But the road hadn't been easy. And just to know that Pastel possibly got himself kidnapped on purpose and wasted way more time then he'd care to mention, made the air around him snap with frost. Did this cat not know how important it was for Yogi to get to the Realm Gates.

It may have been Yogi's primary goal to reach them. But it was also his own as well, considering he wanted to help him in some way to restore his kingdom, if possible. He wanted to reach the Realm Gates fast. It was crucial to Yogi so it was the same for him too.

But before he could proceed with his tempered thoughts the cat replied," Did you honestly think that me being trapped here this whole time that I wouldn't over hear the topic of you two becoming guardians by Ivy and Ashanova?"

'Trapped' Gareki repeated in his conscience, noting the word. He stared down at him, cynically. "So you didn't fake your kidnapping?" He crossed his arms, surprising himself when his own voice came out even and not harsh around the edges from his anger.

Pastel stood up, startled by the accusation. "No! I was taken against my will." He saw the cynical expression transition into a dubious scowl on the Avatar's face. " _ **Believe**_ me." He insisted.

Gareki turned his scowl back to the scene in front of him, not knowing what to think of Pastel's claim. He'd have to let Ivy explain and prove the cat's declaration right once he got a word with him about everything he didn't understand.

"Whose Ashanova?" Yogi spoke up, voice low as if he'd asked himself the question.

"You'll know soon enough," said Pastel quietly.

They both turned their attention to the two figures that'd appeared in the smoke. Remanence of green and violet smog lingered at the two figure's feet. Some of it hiding away their facial appearance as it wafted up from the ground.

Gareki scrutinized and discovered their details from what he could see and feel. They were both solid. Much like he and Yogi were. Humanoid was more the term he was looking for. But they weren't quite. He could feel the imprints of magic coursing off of them in waves, which meant they were magical beings like he and Yogi too.

He half expected to see an actual floating form of Ivy's body since he had mentioned he was a spirit. But the lack of seeing the male figure in front of him floating made him think other wise about his appearance.

Next he indicated powerful sorcery; that much he could obviously tell from the wave lengths of their individual magical pulses. It wasn't so much as dark magic or even witch craft he sensed from them. It was something profound and unique. Magic he hadn't felt before. But he never really did have the ability to discreetly detect the specific types of magic people wielded until they revealed it.

Yogi could sense it too. The waves of strength buzzing off of them was overwhelming. If this was Ivy then he wondered what this guy really was, as well as Ashanova. He couldn't just be a spirit with this unlimited power.

All three of them watched as the figures walked out of the remaining smoke and stood before them.

Gareki slowly uncrossed his arms and let them drop at his sides as both Ivy and Ashanova's identities revealed themselves. Both Gareki and Yogi's eyes widened and he could feel his mouth gape open slightly.

They were both stunning. The air around them portrayed something greater. Something stronger and intimidating. Just the action of them taking a step closer to Gareki and Yogi had them overwhelmed with how much magical flow was breezing off of them in a hazy husk. They both appeared youthful but yet so much older at the same time.

As if they'd been in the Arcial Realm for centuries but their facial appearance was young and beautiful. Almost as if they were in the human ageing rate in their mid 20s.

Gareki straightened his face and so did Yogi as they took in the magicians in front of them.

Ivy was tall and broad shouldered and had the traits of shoulder length silken smooth white hair that pressed with loose curls. His eyes were a deep shade of green and if you looked close enough you'd see little brown specks all pointing at his pupil, Gareki saw it from where he stood with his far away sight.

His ears were long and pointed, which claimed him having the blood of an elf running through his veins. His nose was sharp, cheek bones smooth all the way down to his pointed jaw line, and lips that were considered plump but somewhat thin with a shade of pink to them. His face was Godly.

As for his clothing, he wore a dark basil green vest that pressed against his toned chest and abdomen, attached to it from behind against his waist was a long train—eaqually the same color— that stopped behind his knees. Graved onto the vest and the train were thin golden floral designs. On each of his arms was a medal pauldron that casted itself against his pale olive skin of his upper arm along with golden armored wrist plates that were against his forearms. His legs sported slim black pants with green knee length boots that also had golden florals plastered onto them as well.

Ashanova's appearance was a beautiful heart shaped face with high cheek bones. Her skin was a light shade of caramel that made her dark red hair, that was pulled into a slicked back long ponytail standout. Her eyes were a fiery garnet that shined brightly. A color unique for the eyes. Her lips were full and coated with a shear velvet.

Her attire consisted of a kona dark violet neck guard of armor, it stuck itself flat against her neck and shoulders as a whole piece with the engraved detailing of a crystal like shard that started small against her neck but only grew bigger as it progressed onto her shoulders. A tear drop jewel hung from the center of the neck piece in the color aureate.

The wrest of her clothing was a tight body suit one piece that clung to her curved body in the same kona dark violet shade as her neck guard. Along her chest were diverging lines that angled side ways into one another in golden three streaks. Around her waste was tide fabric that cascaded down on one side of her thigh in a ochroid hue. Down her slim legs shimmered the same three angled golden streaks on each thigh. Her heels were attached to the skin tight body suit and the souls were a shimmering gold as well.

Lastly her wrists were both inserted into golden armored wrist plates similar to those of Ivy's.

Yogi and Gareki stood there, continuing to stare in expectation and awe. It was then that the moment of silence was broken by Ivy.

"Gareki, Yogi," he gave them each an individual glance as he pronounced their names," I welcome you both. It's about time we met." His voice was lightly deep and held a timbre of importance.

Gareki stared at Ivy. He was completely curious as to what they were and who they were. He took a bold step forward, glaive still in hand.

"You're him," he began flatly, voice not exposing the awe he felt from being in their presence. "You wanted us here. Why?" His voice noticeably turned heavier on the last word. He really wanted to know the answer.

Ivy didn't answer him directly. He gestured a hand towards Ashanova standing beside him. "I'm afraid I didn't introduce you both to my partner, Ashanova, in the letter I scent to you. She knows you both already."

She nodded once as a greeting. "It's nice to finally meet you both in person." She offered strait forwardly.

Ivy dropped his hand back down to his side before continuing. "I'm surprised that you made it this far. We've all been watching you. You passed every test without actually dying, even though you, Gareki, have had some close calls of seeing the after life. Your will power to live is impressive and Yogi," he turned to the blonde," your strength of protection is astounding. I now see that we've made the right choice in choosing you both for guardianship."

Yogi's brows creased as he averted his sights over to Gareki who tensed his shoulders as he fixated his attention on Ivy. He took a step next to him and spoke up firmly as he looked up at their superior. "So you have been testing us, and you chose us. But why? Why do we deserve this?"

"We get it, Ivy," said Gareki sternly. "We get that you've put us through tests to hunt down the runes, for the opponents you made us fight against. You wanted to see if we were capable enough to handle the responsibility of guardianship, right. But why did you go through so much trouble to get us here? And who are you, really? You couldn't just be a spirit with this much power."

Gareki reached up and placed his hand heavily on Yogi's shoulder. "We deserve an explanation." His icy blue-grey eyes bore strongly into Ivy's green ones.

Ashanova exchanged a look at Ivy before eyeing both Gareki and Yogi again."I'll explain this whole scenario to you, so listen closely."She crossed her arms along her chest as silence filled the room.

"Ivy and I are both spirits and also the first formations over guardians of combining magic during the dark ages. Back in the time where the Arcial Realm was in shambles and taken over by disarray. A time where wars bled out every day and night and the kingdoms were shitty with angered and vengeful kings and queens. What a terrible time that was."

"Initially Ivy and I were born in separate realms. He in the Arcial Realm and I in Juniper Realm. A realm where astral magic wielders lived. We both met by coincidence. Both our realms during all the chaos from the wars happening were corrupted by Outsiders that murdered everyone in sight. I found my way to the nearest Realm Gate and teleported myself here, at the time I hadn't known a break out of war was happening here as well. I was taken up and thrown in a cell of Ivy's kingdom where we met."

"As soon as we had, a spark awakened between us. Something powerful and uncanny to us at the time. A new magical power had been given to us. He once just had the element of Earth but now he also has water and I used to only be able to wield astral magic but now lava is under my control. We broke ourselves out of the cell and as if an impulse had spoken to us, we knew what we should do with our new elements. We combined and saved the entire Arcial Realm."

"Apparently our will to make everything great again effected how our magic worked and almost immediately wars that'd waged for centuries ceased and all hatred and vengeance against other kingdoms disappeared for further years to come with us guarding it's safety. But within those years, Ivy and I are no longer alive, we died nine years ago but our souls are still here which is making us precent in front of you, but soon we will be taken away to the after life. Our time has ran short for us to stay here any longer."

"That's where you two come in," Ivy said. "Nine years we've spent our time searching for descendants who can take over the guardian title. Most failed, most gave up and now we finally found those who are worthy, smart, and strong enough to handle this responsibility while we part from this world."

Gareki and Yogi couldn't believe what they were hearing. Something so important was being passed down to them. A weight fell on their shoulders and it didn't have a similar effect to that of being a prince of their own kingdoms. It felt like the world was in their hands. Something so much greater.

Gareki had his question answered now. Not only did he figure out why he and Yogi both were chosen but also knew what Ivy was, along with Ashanova. The purpose of why they were here was clear now. It also became obvious as to why new elements of magic had suddenly awoken inside them.

"So is this why Yogi and I have been feeling connected lately, because we're descendants of what you used to be?" Gareki pulled his hand off Yogi's shoulder and sunk it down in his jean pocket.

Ivy nodded."Yes. Any strange symptoms that have linked you both together in some way is the cause of you both becoming guardians. Ever since you've entered Lim Fay we have been keeping a close eye on both of you, like I mentioned before. That's when we first chose you. But we needed to test you first to see if you really were able to handle and become what we were. Indeed the hunt for the runes and the opponents I made you fight against were just a test to see what you both have gained from one another, matter of fact, your cat friend there was only taken away from you and used as bait to get you both to do the tests in the first place.

"I doubted you both would waste your time looking for runes if there wasn't a cost making you do so. So far you have proven that you both are loyal,trustworthy,and protective of each other. Almost all components that you need to be able to combine magic—"

"We can't." Yogi interjected, looking troubled by what he was about to say next.

Gareki eyed him from the corner of his eyes as he continued.

"We broke our connection. We can't combine magic anymore." He lifted a hand and gestured at Gareki. "We can't even sense each other's magical pulses. How are we even going to be guardians of combinng if we can't even connect our magic elements together?!" He felt overwhelmed and like he had failed at protecting something big, which was the entire realm he was standing in right now. Just knowing that he had to save his own realm from becoming a hellish kingdom let alone having to keep the Arcial Realm a safe place sounded way too much to protect alone, even if it was his and Gareki's responsibility.

Ivy shook his head. "I was getting to the point of explaining that to you if you hadn't interrupted." His tone was laced with criticism.

"Continue then." Yogi offered smoothly, pursing his lips as he swallowed. Jostling the Adam's apple in his neck.

Ivy inhaled through his nose lightly before speaking. "Considering the circumstances you both should know that theirs something missing in the link between you both, I can sense it. It needs to be figured out so your ability to combine can be fully restored again."

Yogi frowned at him skeptically at his choice of words. Gareki gave the spirit a funny look also after catching the way he said it.

"Are you saying you don't know what's keeping us from combining? I thought you would know." Gareki claimed.

"We both may be former guardians of combining but that doesn't mean we have all the answers." Ashanova chided. "The best thing you both can do is figure this out with time. The solution will come to you sooner or later."

"Perfect." Yogi muttered under his breath, but it didn't at all sound cheerful.

"You both can only become full guardians and transform once this missing link between you is reconnected." Ivy apprised.

Gareki turned his eyes back to him. " What do you mean transform?"

Ashanova ran a hand against her torso. Her slender fingers tracing over the designs and fabric of her tightly fit clothing. "The clothes you see us wearing now is apart of a transformation we under weighed before we saved the entire realm. This isn't our true forms. And that goes to say that our eyes and hair color went under transformation too."

"When the time comes for you both to transform, you as well will change in appearance, but that can only happen once the missing link between you is reattached," said Ivy.

Gareki leaned against the vine covered wall that glowed brightly against him with his arms crossed as he pressed his back against it. He watched as Yogi and Pastel stood in front of the slow closing giant doors watching them after they had all left the room Ivy and Ashanova were in.

The doors closed with a loud lurch of stone grazing against one another.

His mind was trapped in thoughts of what would happen next and unanswered questions. But they weren't about Ivy and Ashanova. No, it was more along the lines of. . .

Why hadn't his mother told him combining magic had happened in her era. Of course he found it a necessity that she should've told him something that his future would be apart of. Instead he now just learned the history about it. Something so important and effective. It didn't make any sense of why she would forget a topic like this to mention to him in all the years he'd been with her.

But she didn't know he would be a guardian. So he wouldn't hold it against her for not telling him.

On the other hand, he didn't know what the next step was. How was he and Yogi going to protect the Arcial Realm from danger if they couldn't combine, let alone deal with their current mission of getting to the Realm Gates.

Gareki knew Yogi wanted to be back in his own realm and kingdom, to take back his throne. But he couldn't be there—not for long anyway. It was called the Sun Kingdom for a reason. He would die if he stayed in heat for too long even with a frigid barrier that would protect his body temperature wouldn't completely repel the heat for long.

So Gareki would need to stay here in his own realm. But if he and Yogi were separated, how were they going to protect the Arcial Realm.

Closing his eyes he sighed. He wondered where this left his feelings. Deep down, he didn't want to part from Yogi. He'd grown attached to him. Not just physically but mentally, despite his efforts of pushing the emotions away they always came rattling back.

"You're thinking about it, aren't you?"

Gareki pulled his eyes open and saw Yogi standing in front of him. "What?"

Yogi stared him in the eyes."We can't protect this realm if we're apart. You're thinking about that."

Gareki heaved another sigh as he eyed Pastel at Yogi's feet licking his paw but was clearly listening to their conversation. He looked back up at Yogi and replied,"What are we going to do? What's your plan? We haven't even talked about how we're going to save your kingdom."

Yogi crossed his arms, not looking troubled as if he knew things would work out some how."We have talked about it." He admitted matter of factly.

Gareki shook his head."Yeah, barely. Once you save your kingdom we have to part ways."He uncrossed his arms and stepped closer to him, still keeping close eye contact. "I don't know if you thought about it but I can't stay in your realm for long and that's for two reasons. I'd die from too much heat and I need to stay here so at least one of us is watching over the Arcial Realm. You have your throne to watch over so you're bound there."

Yogi let the words sink in. Another Dilemma they had to figure out. Before thinking about his words he spoke up," I have a sister, she'll take over the throne in my place along with the amulet. That way I can stay here and protect this realm with you. I can't let you do this alone."

Gareki couldn't help but to be suspicious about that arrangement. "This wouldn't happen to be one of the sisters you told me about that had been taken by Vileus, would it?"

A few seconds passed without Yogi answering.

Gareki rolled his eyes already knowing the answer. "Is she even alive?"

"She has to be," Yogi said finally. "She can take my place. Gareki, she can do this—"

"Can she?" Gareki interrupted harshly causing Yogi to slowly close his mouth mid sentence. "How old is she even?" He shrugged.

"Sixteen—"

"She can't do it." Gareki shook his head once more. "You're nineteen, that's when you took over the throne, right. Yogi, she's too young. And on top of that, can she even control that amulet? I may not be an expert in knowing how that thing works but I know it's not controlled by just a wave of a hand and some words. It's more complex, isn't it?"

Yogi kept his mouth shut. He wouldn't even lie. Gareki was right about everything. He wasn't sure himself if Tsukuomo was even ready for all this at her age and with little knowledge of how to control the royal amulet put his beliefs on edge. It had taken him years to master it to come out of his finger tips. But he had hope and with how smart and willing she was. He knew she could do it just as much as he had faith that she was alive still.

He dropped his arms down to his sides and clenched his hands into fists. "I'm telling you, she can do this," He said boldly.

Gareki glared at him unsurely but gave in seconds later. "Fine," he said heavily. "We'll see what happens. In the mean time while Pastel leads us to Eva's castle. Me and you need to have a talk. Let's go." He turned away from him and led the way out of Ivy's territory.


	29. Regrets

The Ice Castle. . .

Alone in her darkened room, Larisa stared out the vast clear, iced window, appraising the peaks of the sharp mountains coated in thick snow that were standing tall, forming a half circle perimeter around the castle a some what close distance away.

The large rounded two moons that were distanced from each other, lit up the lavender sky, shining it's descending white light against the snow, making it bright.

The light casted itself through the ice of her window, creating illuminated shadows behind her against the uncovered, solid, and cold floor that was frozen over.

Her blue eyes focused only on the mountains. She blinked occasionally, but that didn't disturb her focal point. She stood strait with purpose but her mind was incased in other thoughts.

Finally after trailing her eyes sluggishly over the sharp tip of a single peak, she subconsciously twitched back into focus, back into reality. Her eyes gave another series of blinks as she hugged herself warily. Trying to rid her irises of the black and white floating specks she saw in front of her.

She caressed her slender pale arms with shacking fingers that refused to cease their trembling movements.

Her breathing felt labored, constricted, as she attempted to regain her composure. She bent over slightly.

How many times had this happened. . . .Way too many for it to just be overlooked. He was popping in and out of her consciousness almost everyday now. She grit her teeth and sucked in an unsteady cold air through them. She shuddered away from the window, still in the moonlights presence.

The souls of her bare feet slid against the thick ice of the floor as she created a big enough distance from her and the window. Her silver satin long, flowing dress tracing after her against the floor in a ruffled train of smooth fabric

She cradled her upper arms in a shacking grasp as she looked down at the ground. She felt him, her son. And just like the last time. She had a vision of him almost dying. Nothing had changed from the abrupt visions that would over come her, and she'd suspected they wouldn't.

The visions were hooked to a bond they shared because of their royal blood ties. Although, Gareki didn't know this. She hadn't found it irrelevant to tell him.

During the visions she would have of him It'd felt like she was inside his body, seeing and experiencing his near deaths in his perspective. Just now she'd just invisioned him drowning in some clear bubble or orb of water. Incapable of escaping as his air supply grew short. She felt the panicked emotions rising within him as his thoughts concluded his death nearing.

It all felt so real—it was real—and there was no escaping the visuals until they let her mind free. Their blood ties were forcing her intellect to witness everything. So it wasn't like she could easily rid the sight of Gareki nearly dying from her mind.

How many near deaths could she witness. How much more could she bare to see and act as if it all didn't matter that his death would happen sooner or later being in the dangerous world of the Arcial Realm on his own.

Apart of her felt sickly by her selfish thoughts and aloofness to the matter. She had mixed feelings.

She felt like he was getting what he deserved for betraying her by helping that damn Outsider escape the castle.

The Outsiders were their enemy. She hated them with a passion because of the death her husband had fallen to by their people's hands. Yet her own son had helped one escape and she refused to listen to any explanations of what that Outsider's purpose was for being here.

He was from another kingdom trying to get back to his own realm. Yeah right. She wasn't buying it. He was an Outsider nevertheless. But she was a little taken off guard by the fact that the Outsider hadn't killed her son yet during one of those visions she had of him nearly dying by different causes.

It was odd but she refused to think he really was an innocent person.

On the other hand she felt like Gareki didn't deserve his death and banishment from the castle. He was her child. Her one and only that still lived with part of her blood running through his veins. He was her son so it was a natural necessity to have protective affections for her offspring.

Especially since he was the only one left in the family of royal blood. Every other member had died or had been missing through wars of the past. Gareki was the last she had to care for. Larisa blinked long and hard as two decisions raised in her mind.

Could she leave Gareki to be forever banished and killed in the Arcial Realm or did she want him to come home.

She managed to look up just in time to see Avia walk into her view and stand near the entrance of her bedroom with a silver platter, a pitcher and a glass goblet placed atop of it. The pitcher was filled with pure blood of a hunted down predator of the Lumines Forest.

"I've brought your dinner, ma'queen." She spoke up.

Larisa stood up strait from her hunched form and offered the former guards leader permission to step into the room and serve her. "Finish your duty and make your exit quick. Let yourself not forget that you still have work to be done." Her voice was harsh with bite.

She watched as the caramel skinned Avatarian treaded over to her night stand. Larisa watched her.

Avia had once been the commander of the guards in the castle. But ever since the night of Gareki's banishment, she had found out that Avia along with her half brother, Seth, had allied the Outsider's escape.

Seth had admitted he helped Avia and Gareki to free the Outsider, but only because he was protecting the castle. He had let her know that the Outsider was being pursued by trolls that would be coming to the Ice castle in search of him and would destroy and kill everything in their path to do so.

Larisa didn't care if it was to protect the people of their castle from the trolls. Both of them had been involved in the Outsider's escape which was a crime. She hadn't decided to kill them for their treason but only because they'd been honest in their crime.

But as punishment, Seth was relieved from his duty over weaponry and just like Avia, was now a peasant that worked to rebuild new land stones around the castle for the rest of his life.

Both of them had once had high titles but now they were looked down apon with shame.

How sad. Larisa couldn't help but to think. She continued to eye her.

Avia lifted the pitcher and poured the blood into the goblet before setting it back down carefully. She then left the goblet on the night stand and picked up the platter along with the pitcher and began to dismiss herself from the room.

It was then that suddenly Larisa felt a pulse of a headache against her skull. She grimaced with a soft noise of discomfort that alerted Avia as soon as she'd heard it.

The former Avatarian commander stopped in her tracks and turned her head to the queen. She knew what was causing them.

Nights prior from this one Queen Larisa had confessed about the visions she had been experiencing of Gareki to her and only her.

For what reason, Avia didn't know. She figured that maybe Larisa found her worthy to confess to despite her crime.

Avia retraced her steps quickly back over to the night stand and placed the platter onto it's surface before grasping the goblet of blood and briskly walked over to the queen.

"You should drink. It could sooth the headache." She lifted the glass to the queen.

Larisa held onto it and brought her lips to the rim and lapped enough blood to swallow. For sure once she felt the thick liquid slip down her throat her headache subsided. Her breathing became easier.

Relief washed over her as she dropped her hand away from her forehead.

"Better?" Avia inquired.

Larisa nodded as she took the glass away. Avia held it with both hands as she knowingly stared at her queen.

"You saw him again. Didn't you?" She boldly asked. Avia knew that Larisa didn't like to talk about her son. She had only wanted to admit the visions she had of him and that was all. But that had been days ago since she'd last spoken of Gareki and Avia was beyond curious to what her queen was visualizing.

Larisa glared at her."That is none of your concern."

Avia clenched the goblet a little tighter. She felt her boldness rising and once it rose their was almost no holding back. She inhaled a slow breath and squared her shoulders to look strong in what she was about to say next.

"I think it is my concern. Gareki, despite his sins against this kingdom is still our prince, therefore my leader. I should be concerned for him."

Larisa shook her head. "My dear, you see this is what the problem with you is. You never let a subject that bothers you drop even when someone higher then you orders you to not speak of it. This is why you are in the position you're in now."

Avia placed the goblet down and crossed her arms while facing her queen again. "I'm sorry my lady, but the fact that Gareki is still out their, alive, bothers me. What are you planning on doing? I know you want him back here just as much as I do. You don't want him dead."

Larisa's glare hardened." You don't know what I want." Her voice was cold. " leave me, now." She demanded, her tone of voice holding no room for argument.

Avia stood in place for another second before nodding once and turned on her heel, leaving the room reluctantly as she still had more to say about the matter.

She made her way out of the throne room that was attached to Larisa bedroom. She walked quickly as she thought disgustedly of what her queen was doing.

Her decisions were flawed and Avia sincerely hoped that she would fix them into better ones. She reached out and gripped one of the handles of the large throne room doors and pulled it open before making her exit.

She passed the two sentinels standing outside on either side of the doors who watched her as she left around the corner. She continued walking towards the work room she'd been assigned to.

She made her way by walking near a hallway in which once she passed the corner a hand jerked out and grabbed her bicep.

She swiftly turned and yanked her arm free of the grip and grabbed hold of the shadowed figure's wrist before strongly pulling the person into the light. She then let go of the persons limb, letting him fall to the floor and jerked out a dagger holding it near the dark figure's neck as he laid on the ground on his back.

"Nice try," she growled menacingly as she kneeled on top of her victim," but you messed with the wrong person who knows how to defend herself."

The shadowed victim placed his head against the ground and heaved a soft sigh as if relieved. "For god sakes, Avia, it's me, Seth. I thought you were a guard."

She reached with her other hand that wasn't occupied with a dagger to his throat and pushed off his black hood and pulled down the black mask tide around his jaw line and lips.

Their she stared into the silvery grey eyes of her half brother. She scoffed before pulling the blade away from his neck and stood up, placing the weapon back into it's sheath underneath her shirt for hiding. "What the hell are you doing? And why are you dressed that way?"

She notified the black hoodie and mask. Seth stood up as well. His white spiky hair looking more messy than usual. "I had to do some sneaking around in order to see my sister. You know, just to make sure you didn't piss off the queen again," he said flatly.

Avia noticed the emphasis on "again". She put her hands on her hips. " Well you're too late. I just left her room and made her have a fit once I mentioned Gareki. How'd you even know I'd be speaking to her?"

It wasn't like they were close in the castle with their new jobs and all. So it was difficult to keep tabs on one another.

He lifted an eyebrow as if to silently declare that it had been obvious. "One of your coworkers happened to be speaking that you were headed to the throne room to deliver a meal to Queen Larisa. I just happened to be passing by your work area when I over heard."

Avia eyed him with her deep blue eyes. "So what?" She shrugged. "Were you worried about me or something. Did my talking with Queen Larisa really bring you all the way here?"

He crossed his arms looking more serious now. "Yeah it did. I hope you know that whenever you do speak to her it causes a likely chance of you getting killed. You're stubborn, Avia. You never drop subjects even when you're told. One day you're not even going to be around anymore, you'll be dead, and it'll be because of the way you speak out of turn to her. So yeah, I came here because I was afraid that you'd die."

Avia gave him a hard look as he continued.

"I may not be a good brother for you most of the time but that doesn't mean I don't care about you. You're still my little sister."

She bite her bottom lips softly with one of her fangs. " Keep that up and I won't hate you for putting us in this situation." She was talking about the fact that they were peasants and had lost their former jobs all because he admitted to the crime they had done.

He furrowed his brows. "You were the one who wanted to help the Outsider in the first place." He shot back.

"His name is Yogi, Seth. And I still don't want you accusing him as an Outsider."

He leaned against the wall. "Even though that's exactly what he is."

She actioned an eye roll."Whatever."

"So what did Larisa say about Gareki." He ventured to change the subject. "Is she thinking about bringing him back like you want?" He didn't at all sound interested by his return.

She shook her head slowly from left to right. "I know you hate him for helping Yogi escape but let's not forget you helped him escape too so you can't hold that against him."

"I don't hate him, I just hate that he and I put you in danger the night of that Outsider's escape. I should've stopped you."

She smirked."You weren't going to stop me any time soon. I'm stubborn, remember?"

"Yeah," he agreed," and it's a pain in my ass when you are."

"Shut up. You like it." She smiled now. "But anyway no, I don't know if Larisa's gonna call off his banishment. When I spoke of him to her she didn't confess to letting him come back or not."

Seth nodded thoughtfully."Last time we spoke you told me she'd been having visions of him. Did she have one today?"

Avia dropped the smile. "She did. Seems like they're progressing everyday."

He glanced up at the sealing still with a thoughtful gaze. "So what do you think of all this? What do you think her decision will be?"

Avia looked out the large window, seeing the moons peak over the sharp mountains. "Like I said before, I don't know. But Gareki is the only family she has left. I doubt Larisa would keep him away from the Ice Castle forever despite how cold hearted she tends to be."


	30. My Way

**Music Choice—Body Say—Demi Lovato**

 **If I had My Way**

 **I Would Take You Down**

 **If I Had It My Way**

 **I Would Turn You Out**

 **And If My Body Had A Say**

 **I Would Come Again**

* * *

Yogi stood there, watching as Pastel slowly turned away from him and walked over to a flat rock that'd been lodged halfway into the inclined ground of solid dirt. He sat down on it with his head tilted up at the sealing of the cave. His emerald green eyes revealing sadness.

The blonde sighed in dismay, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned away from the cat and walked over to his newly found out guardian partner, Gareki, who was leaning casually against the stone wall, hands in his pockets, his black hood still pulled over his head.

He was looking out over the water's glowing surface as the rays of moonlight cascaded down from the holes in the sealing. Midnight was among them now. Apparently they hadn't been in Ivy's territory for long before leaving and finding a river bank that would lead them strait to Eva's castle by tomorrow afternoon if they kept a good pace. They'd all decided to rest for the night and wake up early in the morning for that purpose.

Gareki's eyes found Yogi's face as he walked closer to him, he watched as he leaned up against the wall beside him. Yogi didn't notice his blue-grey eyes continuing to stare at him as he looked out at the water's surface, mind stuck on Pastel.

The Avatar blinked and finally turned, looking away from him as he refocused his sights on the water as well. "Did you tell him," he asked quietly. He hadn't been paying any attention to their conversation but he assumed what they had been discussing.

Yogi shook his head slowly as he thought about his and Pastel's discussion about Jiki's death. "Yeah, and he didn't take it too well."

"What did you expect? Death is a cruel thing to hear about. Especially when it's someone you care for. Me and you both should know that." Gareki pointed out with a stone hard voice as he remembered his father's death.

Yogi thought of his parents as he notified the meaning in Gareki's voice. They still spoke to him telepathically as souls but it clearly wasn't the same way for Gareki and his father and for that he genuinely felt sorry for him.

It must have been hard not being able to speak to him. He wondered what Gareki's personality would've been like if he had the same communication as he did with his parents. He assumed his attitude would change into something a lot happier and not so intent on vengeance.

But hopes of that wasn't likely. If Gareki couldn't speak to his deceased father than that was just how things were.

On the other hand, Yogi liked how Gareki was now towards him with his bold, brave, stubborn, and his discreet protectiveness over his wellbeing. Although he would have an attitude and easy temper now and then, he still found satisfaction for his personality. Even though it hadn't been that way from the beginning when they first met.

Gareki had clearly developed a steady relationship with him that claimed them being closer than they initially were before. Yogi now saw that mainly because of their new titles of guardianship.

"I know," Yogi said, continuing to stare out at the water." I wasn't expecting anything. I knew he'd react like this. I took full blame for Jiki's death. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't forgive me."

"It was inevitable." Gareki disagreed firmly." Nothing could've stopped Zeek and Zaphora from killing him. You didn't know they would go after him."

"Yeah." Yogi turned to look at him doubtfully. "But it was me that they came after. If I hadn't been near Jiki then his death wouldn't of happened."

Gareki met his gaze. "Did you forget? He wanted to stay in the cave. You were the one who wanted him to come with us, to save him. Like I said before. What happened was inevitable. What matters is that you did what you could. It isn't your fault. Jiki knew what would happen."

Both held each others gazes until Yogi finally said something. "I guess. . ." he hesitated," I guess you're right. I couldn't stop it. Even if I had it was his fate and he would've died by some other cause."

Gareki eyed his expression to see if he actually considered his disagreement to the matter and wasn't just saying that to make it seem like he did. But he saw that he was being sincere and turned away.

"Good." He spoke quietly.

Yogi turned his head away from him also and looked back out at the rippling water.

Gareki inhaled slowly before sighing as he reached one of his hands in the butt pocket of his ripped skinny jeans and pulled out the map/letter Ivy had given them days prior and held it up. "This is no use to us anymore."

Yogi watched as the hand he held the folded paper in burned away from the electricity leaving his finger tips until it was nothing but ashes falling to the ground. He dropped his hand down to his side.

The next words he spoke were laced with deep seriousness. "The need for us to regain that link has never been more important until now. It's the only way to protect this realm— my realm."

Yogi remembered what Ivy had told them. They were missing a connection that held them back from becoming full guardians and combining. And of course if they couldn't become that and combine then the Arcial Realm would be in disarray, just like it had been in the dark ages.

Both he and Gareki had already obtained loyalty, trust, and defense for each other, but Ivy had said there was one more thing they were missing to be able to combine again.

Which both of them had no clue of what that "thing" was.

"I get it." Yogi began. "We've been over this and yet even before we knew we were guardians we couldn't figure out what connection we were missing."

Gareki pushed a finger-less gloved hand through his hair, pulling the strands away from his forehead. "That's what's so stressful." He heaved." I would've hoped Ivy could enlighten us about this dilemma but of course he left it to us to figure out. We don't have any leads." He let go of his hair.

Black fringe fell perfectly back into place over his forehead. Yogi silently wished he could see him do that action again. Something about it just screamed sexy. He averted his eyes away from his attractive comrade while speaking,"Well Ashanova did say that it would come to us sooner or later. Maybe theirs no technical thinking needed to figure it out." He offered.

"Yeah maybe. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking." Gareki said dismissively. He closed his eyes as he leaned his head back against the wall.

"Come on, Gareki, you have to have at least some confidence to get it back." Yogi insisted.

He opened his eyes again and was about to say something but changed his mind as he pushed himself away from the wall and took a few steps forward, nearing the water's edge. "I do have have confidence. But where we stand right now it's all just a dead end. Now, I don't think that matters, what matters is what I have to talk to you about."

Yogi noticed the stern tone in his voice and he instantly prepared himself for what he was about to hear. "What do you need to say?"

Gareki shoved his hand back into his pocket. He looked like a dark shadow standing in the moonlight. He turned his head where only half his face was showing from the hood pulled over his head. One of his eyes stared at Yogi as he spoke.

"You told me that you'd put your oldest sister in charge of the throne and amulet once we saved your kingdom, right?"

"Gareki." Yogi sighed in exasperation. He could tell by the Avatar's expression that he still doubted she could do it. "I already told you. You don't need to worry. Tsukuomo is more than capable of handling this. What's bothering you about that?"

Gareki reached up and yanked off his hood and glared at him. "Oh let me think— we don't know if she's alive!" He accused. "I know you said that she was but what makes you think she is? For all we know she could be dead."

Yogi held back the sudden urge to yell back but replied softly instead. "I don't know, I just have a gut feeling. And she isn't dead. Don't say that," he said ruggedly.

Gareki turned his body to face him completely while holding his hands up in defense. "Fine, I won't say it. But what we're dealing with now can't be risked by mistakes." He dropped his arms. "It's better if I mention this now than never. If she is dead then I hope you realize that we can't protect the Arcial Realm, my home."

Yogi nodded. "Yeah I understand that. But can you just trust me on this. If she is alive then I stay here with you in order to stand by you and protect this realm. That was my plan from the start. You think I'm just going to let you protect this world all on your own?"

Silence was his answer.

Yogi shook his head before continuing." . . .Well that's not the case. Even if we are separated. We're still connected. I could never leave you entirely. Mark my words on that." He gave him an unfaltering determined glare.

Gareki stared at him for a moment. Staying silent, still glaring, still holding doubt in his eyes. Yogi was beginning to think that what ever he said about the matter at hand Gareki would still stubbornly feel like things wouldn't work out.

Yogi dropped his arms away from his chest. "You need to believe me on this, especially through everything we've been through."

The older male looked down at the ground, finally finding words to say. "Since you put it that way, I do believe your reasoning. Guess I don't really have a choice since I'm linked to you. After all, we are missing a connection and if I don't try and believe you on this. Then we're going to be missing more than one link."

Yogi smiled slightly in satisfaction and relief fell over him before changing the subject.

"We're going to need an army. I've been thinking about how we're going to take down Vileus, and we're going to need all the help we can get."

Gareki blinked, turning to look back up at him. "Why do you think that?"

He shrugged. "You could say it's intuition, but mainly it's because of those trolls he sent after me when I first came here in your realm. My entire kingdom has been shape shifted into them. We need an army that won't kill them, just hold them off while we fight Vileus. I feel like there's a way to turn them back."

His blue-grey eyes turned away from him and looked out over the water again. "I don't know where the hell we're going to get an army like that from. We might just have to do the element of surprise and attack Vileus strait on by ourselves, you know, be stealthy? Besides if that amulet can turn your castle back to normal then I think it can turn your people back as well. But that's just a theory. I don't know how that necklace works."

Yogi held up his amulet between his index and thumb in front of his eyes, ignoring the last comment Gareki had said. "That's a good theory." He whispered. "It could work."

Gareki walked back over to the wall and sat down against it. "It may work or it may not. Your idea of getting an army sounds good, but I don't think we'll need it. He doesn't even know that we're coming."

Yogi had a feeling that Gareki was wrong on that assumption. Zeek and Zaphora were sent back to Vileus empty handed and once they confessed that he still lived with the amulet around his neck, then they would have proof that he was coming back to take back his kingdom. He glanced down at his comrade.

"Trust me on this too. I think we will," he said heavily.

* * *

Gareki lurched forward from his sleep, eyes wide as he inhaled a sharp gasp. He choked on air and coughed, trying to regain his breath.

Dark shadows protruded around the perimeter of his eyes as he heard the everlasting thunder in his ears. The shadows pulsated in and out of existence matching his heart beat.

He breathed heavily as he stared wide eyed at his surroundings. Eyes darting from left to right as he tried to recall where he was.

The nightmare he had had located him somewhere else entirely. No doubt the effects of his dream was still under way as he looked around on guard with tense muscles, feeling as though he were still locked in the horrific scenes of the dream.

His hair was disheveled and drooped messy over his forehead and eyes. He reached a hand up and pushed the wet strands away. Pausing instantly once he had done so. He breathed in slow heavy breaths, gradually he pulled his hand away from his head and looked at his wet fingers.

He frowned in confusion as the thought of perspiration intruded his mind. That wasn't possible. He couldn't sweat. His heart felt like it was beating a mile a minute.

He briefly slid a hand against his forehead again and realized that it was only water and that his shirt was wet as well. The frown on his face stayed as he figured someone or something had thrown water on him.

"Good, you're awake—"

He snapped his head around and swiftly pointed the blade end of his glaive in the direction of the sudden voice. He had kept his weapon close to him while sleeping, not fully trusting that he was in the clear of danger in the new area of the Ever Grove he had slept in.

He glared dangerously at Yogi as the blade of his weapon pointed right at his neck. Yogi looked taken by surprise as he stared at Gareki. Not taking any sudden movements in fear that he would actually lash out. His assumption was accurate telling by the unsettling glower Gareki was giving him.

His eyes were sharp and lingering with a daring quiet threat.

Yogi had forgotten how guarded the Avatar was whenever he woke up from slumber. He mentally scolded himself. How many times had this happened now between them and yet he still hadn't learned from the previous mistake. "Relax. It's only me, Yogi." His tone was slow with caution.

Gareki searched his face for confirmations if it really was him. His disoriented vision still holding flashes of the nightmare he had causing the scan to take longer.

He finally recognized Yogi's full lips, nose, and then his Violet eyes. He then lowered his weapon and his glare turned back into confusion. "What are you doing?" His eyes roamed down to his toned bare chest before looking back up at his face. His blonde hair was wet and loose curls fell attractively over his forehead.

He purposefully dragged his eyes down again to the soft and muscular skin of Yogi's torso. His eyes found short blonde hairs that began underneath his umbilicus and continued down beneath the waist band of his black skinny jeans. It'd only been a quick glance which hadn't given Yogi any thoughts of what he had been looking at.

Yogi pulled his shirt from the wall and put it back on. "I was taking a bath until I heard you mumbling something in your sleep. You were twitching a lot. You were having a nightmare so I woke you up."

Gareki made his weapon disappear, keeping an eye on him as he did so. "Oh. . . thanks," he offered weakly."But I was fine. You didn't need to do that." He looked away from him then as flashes of the nightmare he had came in vivid scenes in his mind which made him wonder if he really was fine.

Yogi pushed up his sleeves before buttoning his shirt up. "If you don't mind me asking, what were you dreaming?"

Gareki didn't answer right away as he gathered all the scenes of his nightmare. "I know I haven't discussed much of this with you," he started as he glanced back at him,"but I've been having odd dreams of my mother. It's been happening more and more frequently lately. I don't know what it means though."

Yogi stared at him intently as he sat on the ground. He hung to every word. "Tell me. . . what did you see?"

The ice prince's expression turned tiresome as he reflected.

"Dark images mingled together, thunder rumbling, lightning. I saw her face through blurred vision. She was in the Ice Castle looking fearful and then angry. She was saying something, yelling at someone. And then the setting changed. It was raining hard and the wind was blowing intensely. . ." He paused and sighed as he tried to piece together more but everything was jumbled and was beginning to fade into forgetfulness. "That's all I got."

"It sounds like it could mean something if you keep seeing her," Yogi said after a few seconds of silence.

"Exactly." Gareki agreed. " It's weird." His eyes moved over to Yogi's wet neck that was caused by his dripping hair. His eyes lingered there longer then he should've. Since Yogi had bathed his scent had grown stronger for the time being. His scent forced it's way up his nose and invaded his senses. Oddly making his mouth water. It was an intense smell that could drive him crazy but he reminded himself to take control over his thirst for blood.

". . . It sounds weird." Yogi's agreeing voice broke him out of his thoughts. He looked up at his face. "Yeah," he said slowly. But his eyes didn't stay there for long. He couldn't help but to look back down at his neck. Subconsciously revealing the needy urge on his face.

Yogi cocked his head at him. He noticed the hypnotized look in his eyes. He followed his line of sight and realized he was staring at his neck again. He'd been doing that a lot lately.

He reached up with both hands and unbuttoned his collar so more access of his neck would show. "You know I'm willing to allow you to bite me. Considering it is morning, you are going to need your breakfast," he said casually as if it was the most normal thing to have an Avatarian with half vampire urges within him to drink his blood. But it was. But only because they both were comfortable with each other.

Gareki blinked, suddenly regaining focus of what he was doing. He looked up at the sealing and saw the break of dawn closing in, the sky glowing a brighter blue but was still dark. It was morning. He looked back down towards Yogi and moved over to him, crouching down before him as he closed the distance between them and gingerly sunk his fangs into his neck. His lips making contact with his skin.

The pain on his neck was only a dull pinch now, Yogi concluded. His lips parted slowly as he closed his eyes. Subconsciously leaning his head in the opposite direction for Gareki to have room to sink his fangs deeper.

He felt his face growing warmer as he felt the presence of his tongue lick his neck lightly. A caressing touch that sent his mind reeling. The pull of his blood he felt it shift and avert towards his injected fangs. Gareki's soft lips made contact with his skin as he sucked.

He couldn't help but imagine his lips being somewhere else, kissing places he wanted them to. Eyes fluttering closed, vivid scenes of Gareki coming face to face with him, both of their foreheads pressing lightly against one another in the dark as they stared at each other like they only had each other to look at. And then the moment when their lips closed the gape of space between them until they connected into a deep kiss that held so much meaning.

But before his mind could slip into more thoughts he shouldn't of. Gareki pulled out of him, but he lingered longer than he had last time.

Yogi immediately noticed this as he stayed still, waiting to see or feel what he would do next. Feeling anxious suddenly for an unknown reason as he caught his breath in his throat. He watched him from the corner of his eye.

He was staring at his neck as if in a daze. His eyes having that glazed over look. His lips were cleared of blood as they stood parted slightly. Gingerly he closed his mouth only to reach a hand up to Yogi's chin and carefully grasp his jaw, turning him so they were face to face.

Yogi sat there confused as Gareki continued his glazed over stare. He could feel the cold leather of his black fingerless glove against his jaw as it pressed itself to his skin. He starred at his blue eyes in wonder.

"Gareki. . . What are you—"

The Avatar closed in on him and pressed his lips against his, hard. Yogi's heart nearly lurched out of his chest as startling surprise came over him. His eyes widened as he starred strait ahead at Gareki's closed lids as he continued to collide his soft lips against his own.

He felt like he was dreaming and didn't know what to do as his heart hammered within his chest from excitement and shock, and anxiety. A few seconds passed with him sitting there doing nothing. It wasn't long before Gareki began to pull away but Yogi didn't allow him to get far. He wanted this more than anything and had waited and dreamed. He'd be damned if he just allowed it to end like this.

Immediately his hands lifted. One on the small of Gareki's back. The other at the nap of his neck, pulling him in he smashed his own lips against his. Shutting his eyes he basked in the feel of his lips.

Soft and subtle, addictive. If he could he would've kissed him like this all the time non-stop. Tendrils of wet hair from Gareki's forehead touched his as he leaned in closer. His hand that was grasped onto Yogi's jaw slipped down his neck until reaching the unbuttoned collar of his shirt.

His fingers curved underneath the fabric and pulled down causing the buttons to come undone revealing more and more of Yogi's muscular chest and stomach.

He sighed against the blonde's lips as he pulled away momentarily only to slide his lips down his neck. Yogi trembled from the feather like sensation. Gareki stopped at his collar bone and heaved another sigh as he bite into him.

Yogi's reflex was clenching his fingers into Gareki's smooth hair lightly from the sharp pain of the new area being bitten. But pleasure replaced the pain as his tongue licked him.

He gasped a moan. His mind lingered on a question of why Gareki was doing this. Had he felt the same way he felt about him this entire time and was now expressing it. The question vanished as the Avatar moved away from his neck and slowly reconnected their lips in a urge.

Their bodies closed in. Magical sparks bubbling up inside both of them as their lips grew more needy and demanding. Their hands touching places on one another's body's they hadn't expected to feel before.

It was amazing. Everything he had assumed Gareki's kiss would feel like was real and definitely didn't disappoint.

Yogi moved his hand slowly over Gareki's abs. Hand slipped underneath the soft fabric of his hoodie. His hand moved up to the permanent black ink of his tribal tattoos along his toned chest. He still couldn't believe this was happening.

Gareki suddenly lifted his hands onto his bare chest and shoved him to the ground where he lay on his back. He swiftly climbed on top of him, breathing some what heavily now. The slits in his eyes widening for more of him.

His thin blue tail curled at the end as he leaned down and kissed him again. This kiss being even more needy than before. Both his hands clenched his shirt.

Yogi closed his eyes. Melting into the kiss as his hands lifted up and trailed the sides down Gareki's abdomen until he was groping his arse.

The ice prince snapped his eyes open and yanked himself away from his lips saying an abrupt, "No!" before jumping back against the stone wall, looking as if he had flown. His back hit the wall as he breathed and trembled heavily. Eyes glowing brightly as he stared at Yogi who had sat up as soon as he'd pulled his lips away.

He looked startled by Gareki's sudden actions.

They both stared at each other looking surprised for different reasons.

Gareki shook his head. "No," he managed to say with a rugged voice. "That wasn't supposed to happen." His hand placed itself against the wall, gripping tautly to one of the cobblestones.

"What do you mean 'that wasn't supposed to happen?'" Yogi frowned.

"It just wasn't!" Gareki snapped, shaking more now as his black hair hung wet in front of his bright eyes that stood out against the darkness. He looked angry if not more startled by his outburst.

Yogi sat there not believing he was actually saying this. The kiss had felt so perfect and here he was ruining the moment. He gave him a hard look. His own anger reaching the surface. "I can't believe you. You kissed me and yet now you're saying it wasn't supposed to happen! What is it with you?! Is this about feeling weak?!"

Gareki set his jaw as he glared at him. "You don't get it! The kiss all together wasn't real. It was just an urge from my blood thirst. Do you not remember what happened last time?!"

He paused as he recalled what happened last time Gareki had been taken control over by his blood thirst. He had done way more then just bite him. But it all had been fake. It'd only been the influence of his need for blood. He reluctantly looked back up at his comrade's face.

He didn't want to look at him right now. He had crossed the line. And unlike last time his blood thirst had gone overboard, he felt hurt. Only because he allowed the kiss to get the better of him. It hadn't been real. And as much as he hated to admit it, he still craved for the feel of Gareki's lips but even more now since he had gotten the feel of them.

The question of Gareki having feelings for him all crashed down to confusion. But what was there to be confused about. Gareki didn't love him back. That's what the ice prince had insinuated by denying the kiss was real.

He watched as Gareki lifted a hand to his face and caressed his finger tips over his bottom lip. The look he gave Yogi was suggestive as he asked in a careful tone, "Why did you kiss me back?. . . Not to mention everything else you did."

Yogi knew what he meant by that last comment. His mind crawled back to his own hands moving and touching places on his body. With that in mind he knew he couldn't lie.

He buttoned up his shirt and stood up, walked over to him and stopped a couple inches in front of his face. His heart gave an excited lurch in his chest as the words he would say next found their way onto his tongue. No more keeping it in, no more hiding.

"I kissed you back because . . .I love you." He met his eyes and saw the anger gradually disappear. Speechless was his reply as he stared at him looking taken by surprise. His mouth hung open slightly as his eyes widened, looking at Yogi as if he had just slapped him.

Yogi lifted his hand and slowly reached toward Gareki's lips. He grasped him by the chin gently and ran his thumb over his bottom lip. Leaning in before he lost his nerve and kissed him. Gareki being too surprised to push him away.

He needed to feel him once more.

A moment passed before he pulled his lips away from his, stared him in the eyes for a few seconds before retreating his hand from his chin and walked away from him. Leaving Gareki staring after him.


	31. Regrets & Lies

Yogi sat at the rivers edge. A distance away from the camp ground, away from Gareki. He sat with his legs lifted to his chest, spread out with both elbows resting atop his knees, hands intertwined at his mouth. He looked thoughtful glaring out at the water.

He blinked slowly, trying to distract his mind with the feel of his own hands clasped beneath his nose. But instead of staying focused on them his mind forcefully made him reflect on what had just occurred. The intense scenes painting his conscience with the blissful sensation of Gareki's lips, his hands groping his body, and his confession.

He felt relieved that he had finally got the truth out but at the same time he regretted it. He knew he had just crossed a line. Hell, they both had.

Himself for kissing Gareki back and Gareki for denying the kiss meant anything real. Because of this things between them were bound to be awkward. He hadn't wanted this to happen for their first time. They were both at fault for making it this way.

Yogi wondered if they could ever mend their relashionship back to the way it was prior the kiss and confession. But that was just wishful thinking. Nothing could go back to the way it was between them.

They had been so close and connected for the last few days and comfortable with each other and now look what they'd both done. Ruined it. Just like that.

Of course just a kiss and a confession seemed innocent enough. But considering they were two different people with different mind sets, things that seemed small made a bigger impact.

Yogi unclasped his hands and lightly pressed his fingers against the puncture wounds near his collar bone. Another memory scene of Gareki quickly climbing on top of him flashed behind his eyes.

Immediately he blinked it away, keeping his eyes shut as he ran both hands through the loose curls of his hair, heaving a sigh that sounded frustrated and agitated. "What was I thinking?!" He whispered harshly.

It was hard to picture Gareki's actions being fake and influenced only by his thirst for blood. When they had kissed it had felt and seemed so real. He guessed this was why it had hurt when Gareki had admitted to him it had all been the cause of his urge for blood. And of course the fact that he had let it all go to his head.

Now that he thought about it Gareki's reaction to their first kiss had been more hypnotic than anything. He should've known it had all been fake from the start considering the glazed look in his blue eyes and the way his dazed expression had been. He hadn't been himself during the whole thing.

Now it seemed unrealistic that Gareki would just kiss him out of the blue like that.

In all honesty, he wished he hadn't kissed Gareki back at all. That way their relationship wouldn't be awkward. He would much rather feel comfortable around Gareki then avoid him.

As if the word "avoid" was a key word, on que a thought shadowed his mind. What if Gareki didn't acknowledge them ever kissing in the first place—

"Yogi."

His eyes opened a crack as he felt his shoulders sink at the flat and serious voice that'd spoke his name. He knew it all too well.

He didn't turn to look at him, he didn't want to look at him and see his face after the confession. He was afraid to see a disgusted reaction. He sat there keeping his fingers clasped beneath his nose, looking out at the water.

He heard a momentary shuffle of clothing before Gareki spoke up again. "We need to leave in about two minutes. Make sure you're prepared." His voice was strait forward, deep, and resolute as if they hadn't just kissed, as if they hadn't been touching what was beneath the fabric of their clothing, and as if he hadn't just confessed his love for him.

He knew this would happen. It had just been a quick ironic assumption but that assumption was real now. But the most funny thing was that even though he knew this would happen it still stung to hear him speak so nonchalant, as if he had shrugged everything they had just done off his shoulders without a moments hesitation.

Silence passed between them for what seemed long and awkward before Gareki spoke up again."Did you hear me—?"

"Yes, I heard you." Yogi interrupted dismissively. The sound of his own voice sounding alien to his ears.

Silence ate away again before silent footsteps walked in the opposite direction signifying Gareki was leaving.

Yogi clenched his hands as he felt heat rush through every vein in his body. His emotions were getting the best of him, fueling his element of fire.

"So that's it then?" He asked deeply, meaningfully. Violet eyes squinting at the water as his eyebrows dipped into each other.

He heard the silent footsteps come to an abrupt halt and he risked to turn his head and look at Gareki's face. What he saw made him even more heated.

His face was blank. Not revealing any emotion. He stood up and clenched his red hands into fists.

Gareki pocketed his hands, hood over his head as he watched him carefully. "What is?" His dark eyebrows pinched together.

"You know what I'm referring to." He accused. "Are you seriously going to play it off like nothing happened?"

Gareki continued to ogle him. He turned his body fully to him. "It's best this way. Would you want us continuing on thinking about a kiss?"

He was right and Yogi hated to admit that. He didn't want things to be different between them all because of a kiss. But here he was, egging things on so they could be that way. It was like he was going against what he didn't want to happen.

But Gareki had made him angry. He wanted the Avatar just like himself to feel something, to be effected just like he was because of what they did. He hated that Gareki had to act all stone cold and submissive. Especially through something like this.

Yogi shook his head, looking bitterly at him. "I don't know what I want. First of all I wanted things to be how they were before we did what we did. Both of us acting as if nothing happened and my confession had gone over our heads so our relationship wouldn't falter, we could've been comfortable with each other. But at the same time, I want you to acknowledge what we did, to at least express your emotions." He glared at the ground. "I've mixed needs."

". . . .I can't." Was Gareki's long silenced reply.

Yogi looked up at him again. "You can't what?" He softly demanded.

Gareki's stare hardened. "I can't. Not with you, not ever." Unspoken meanings were behind each word and Yogi got the message clearly.

He swallowed the profanities down his throat as his body grew warmer. "Not ever, huh? Why? Give me an explanation!? What did I do to deserve this from you?!"

His emotions were feeding into his words causing them to not have a filter.

"Don't yell at me," Gareki growled lowly with warning.

The blonde pointed a finger at him. "I can yell if I fucking want to. Don't tell me what I can and can't do. Now tell me why you can't except me?" His voice sounded even more alien to his ears now. He didn't feel right, normal. As if the heat were closing in on him and all that was left was this consumption of his feelings. His element over fire was taking over his emotions again and it became hard to fight against it. Just like the last time.

"Don't forget who you're talking to, Yogi. Your comrade, your guardian partner? Any of those ringing any bells?" Gareki tested calmly, taking a step closer to him.

Yogi bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, trying to force his temper away so that he wouldn't do anything he'd regret. But his anger didn't sway. It lingered onward. He could feel the cutting edge of flames lifting from the pores of his hands. His body and mind being consumed by the weight of his anger. He wasn't himself anymore.

"Don't change the subject! Just answer me!" He yelled with rage.

Gareki blew a swift breath keeping calm and collected as ever. "Fine, you want to know so bad. It's because we don't match. That's all I have to say." He sounded so aloof.

He couldn't stop himself, he hurled a flame at him. All reasoning and logic leaving his brain.

Gareki saw the fast moving flame coming. He side stepped and dodged it as it blew into tiny sparks colliding into the stone wall behind him. He looked at the small sparks of flames against the wall before turning to look at the blonde. Surprised that he had just tried to burn him.

Yogi ignored his expression and summoned another flame in his palm and sprinted forward, arm pulled back ready to burn anything.

He threw his arm forward but Gareki gripped his wrist—standing clear of the fire— folded it behind Yogi's back as he used his other hand to shove his body forward and slam his front to the wall. He reached for Yogi's other wrist and pressed it to the wall as well. Gareki forcing him in an arm lock that would add pressure to his limb if he didn't listen to reason as he stood close behind him.

Yogi breathed heavily. L"Let go!"

Gareki leaned to his ear. "I know you're mad but now isn't the damn time!" He spat viscously." Now, I want you to listen and listen good. I don't give a shit about your attitude all that matters is that you cooperate so we can get the hell out of this under ground cave. If you don't calm the fuck down!. . .I swear, mark my words, I swear you'll regret it."

Yogi groaned violently, throwing his headback in an attempt to head butt him. But Gareki shifted before adding pressure to the arm on his back causing pain to lash up through his shoulder.

Yogi grimaced at the threat of his arm breaking.

"Did I not make myself clear?" Gareki asked, continuing to push his arm up. "You may be my partner but don't think I'm afraid to set you strait."

Yogi let out an angry growl as he summoned his strength and pushed away from the wall, purposely falling backwards onto the ground so his weight could loosen Gareki's grip on him.

It didn't.

Just as he went to stand up to action another attempt to loosen him off, Gareki wrapped his arms around his neck from behind, forcing him back down on top of him. Yogi roughly pulled his now free arm from behind his back and jabbed Gareki in the ribs with his elbow.

Arms fell away from his neck and Yogi stood up again. Bending over he fisted Gareki's shirt and howled him up. The Avatar gripped his hands onto the Rimahakkian's wrist trying to use it as leverage to pull away from him. But Yogi's grip was solid.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Gareki seethed through tight fangs as his blue-grey eyes lit up a vibrant blue with vexation. "You would actually threaten a person you love? I wouldn't call that love at all!"

A part of Yogi paused at his comment. His dark glare softened. He faltered only slightly. A small part of him from the inside was regaining it's reasoning. But it wasn't enough to jostle his anger. And just like that his dark glare painted over his face again. "What do you know about love?" He spat. " You know nothing!"

He twisted and threw Gareki to the wall. The cobblestones cracking once his back impacted against them. Gareki clenched his eyes shut from the sharp pain against his spine. Slowly it subsided into a dull ache. He reopened his eyes and saw a fist flying towards him, too fast to dodge. It connected with his cheek. The force knocking his head in the opposite direction.

Another stab of pain broke out through half of his face as he leaned over registering every flashing pulse of it. A hand gripped his shirt from behind and yanked him back up against the wall where another fist impacted the corner of his lip. His body kneeled to the side with the force of it.

A splintering dull ache coursed it's way over his entire face from the blows. He closed his eyes as his jaw slowly rotated. the iron citrus of blood slithered onto his tongue. Some of it found it's way to his lips before drizzeling down to the ground in deep red splotches.

He didn't know what was wrong with Yogi. Why he was inflicting him so harshly. He had an assumption it wasn't just the fact that he hadn't expressed his emotions about the kiss but something more. Something inside of him that was causing his ruthless actions.

He was different and Gareki knew this wasn't the Yogi he had been acquainted with for 16 days. What ever was wrong he needed to snap him out of it.

A strong hand once more yanked on his shirt and shoved him to the wall. He glowered at Yogi face to face, glaring violet eyes leveling his own.

"I wanted so much from you and yet. . ." he paused shaking his head," and yet, nothing." His voice was calmer now but still held an emotional timbre.

Gareki stared at him. A part of him wanted to hit him back to give him the same pain he had gave him but he decided against it, just for now. Just for now he'd hear him out and try to understand.

"Trust me," he breathed shakily, eyes continuing to bore into his own. "I've thought about not loving you. Letting those feelings I had leave me entirely. But it's just like the saying goes: once you fall in love, it's like a drug. You could never fully leave it behind. I understand that now." His voice shook as his fist clenched at Gareki's shirt. "I want to leave you out of my heart so bad, because it hurts to know that you don't love me back. But the emotion stays like it's glued to me."

He offered a small, pained, humorless laugh." Bet you wouldn't even understand what I'm talking about. You've never loved anyone in your life before have you? Even though you've lived all these years. You're far more older than me."

Gareki didn't answer. Self conscious of how he would react to know that he was correct.

Yogi looked down almost sadly but mostly disappointed. "That's what I thought."

Silence filled the short space between them a moment passed before Yogi looked back up at him in his eyes, the rage was back. "I shouldn't have fallen for you."

Gareki narrowed his eyes, words finding their own way to his lips without thought. "You really shouldn't have."

Blonde eyebrows pinched together making his violet eyes appear angrier.

He gripped the black hoodie tighter as he turned his upper body and flung Gareki to the ground. He landed hard but regained his footing quickly. Yogi was right on his heels. A punch was thrown at his stomach.

The Avatar nearly doubling over but stayed upright so Yogi wouldn't have an upper hand in an easy attack while he was down.

He looked up and saw balls of flames coming his way forcing himself to stand straighter as he lifted his hands in front of himself and formed an ice shield.

It worked to burn the flames away once they'd hit against it but the impact had been strong. He stumbled backwards once the last ball of fire impacted his shield, burning it away before dispersing itself. The after heat from the flames singed his fingers but luckily for him it hadn't been enough to burn him completely.

Yogi made a noise that sounded like a growl of dissappointment. His hands lit up with flames as he took a running start towards Gareki, spinning on his heels with his arms outstretched causing the flames to become long thin strings that defied the air and jetted towards him.

Gareki did his best not to get hit as he side stepped out of their path but eventually one of the fire tendrils lashed his bicep in a bright red cut through his skin. It burned to the touch and the sensation was just as likely.

Grimacing, he weighted himself on his toes, trying to stand ready but another lashed out at him. He backed up only to feel it rip through the rough fabric of his jeans. Singeing his thigh.

A gasp filled his throat at the abrupt pain that'd felt like a sharp knife cutting into him. He clamped a hand on his wounded thigh. Cursed breathlessly as he eyed Yogi with a warning. "Yogi stop it!"

The Rimahakkian spun again lashing him with the thin rope of fire right across his cheek that sent him leaning from the force. "Why should I?!" He stopped spinning and dispersed his fire before advancing to the wounded boy.

Gareki held himself back from hitting him. Something inside of him telling his body not to. He shook his head slowly by both his own actions as well as Yogi's. "You just need to. Now listen to me—!"

"No!" The blonde interjected harshly. He walked, closing the distance between them step by step. "I'm done listening to you. Everything that comes out of your mouth hurts and I hate it!"

Gareki took another blow to the face, falling hard to the ground on his back as the punch felt like a weight against his cheek, stinging viscously. He could feel the nosebleed beginning to leak out.

"You could never understand!" Yogi dropped down on top of him fist winded back ready to hit him again. " You never understand anything!"

Gareki leaned his head back, eyes closed tightly as he breathed steadily from his mouth. He felt spent and wasted and all he could do was give Yogi this heavy dark glare once he reopened his glowing eyes. Blood drizzled from his nostrils, down the left side of his cheek.

Yogi's threw down his fist but instantly paused right above his nose. He saw the glare but so much more was being said in those glowing blue eyes of his it made his anger twitch and waver. His own jaw was clenched hard. His mind screaming for him to make the plunge and hit him. Let him feel every ounce of pain, regret, and disappointment that he felt. But his heart was screaming for him to stop. He was hurting the person he loved and here he was, taking every last hit and burn without mercy.

He felt sick and twisted and hurt by his actions.

He stared down at Gareki, seconds passing with silence and glares passing between them.

Gareki's dark eyebrows creased into each other a fraction further. "Go ahead." He relented breathlessly. "Hit me. Finish what you started since I can't stop you." The cut on his cheek bled mixing with his nose blood. He looked bruised and beaten. But the hard look on his face was unfaltering. He may have been bleeding and hurt but his will power was more dominant.

The angry scowl on Yogi's face fell away as his eyes widened down at Gareki's glare. He wanted him. . .more than anything. But not like this. Not while he was bleeding from his own hands.

Gareki watched as Yogi's eyes widened, the anger leaving his attractive features before his iriss' shortly glazed over, half open with desire and realization. He dropped his fist away and placed it against the ground beside Gareki's face before leaning down and captured the raven haired boy's lips with his own. Closing his eyes he felt the anger diminish.

Just once more he wanted to kiss and feel him.

Gareki didn't pull away, keeping his eyes open as Yogi kissed him but he didn't kiss back. He was surprised at the sudden feel of his lips again at first, but the surprise had been mutual, going away as soon as it'd come. Apparently what ever had come over him was gone now.

He allowed him to continue kissing him only because he was hurting inside and this was a debt he could pay him with for all of the misleadings and regrets he felt. As for himself, pulling away would make him feel guilty, even more so then he already was.

If Yogi took this the wrong way he would have to clear things up but for now he allowed him to do this, staying completely still holding his breath.

He kept his hands in contact with the ground. Not intentionally wanting to touch Yogi. He only focused on the connection of their lips. The soft, warm feel of Yogi's on his own. The sensations he hadn't registered while being in his blood thirst.

He admitted to himself that the feeling of the kiss felt out worldly amazing but he restrained himself from enjoying more than just the feeling. Any more enjoyment would lead to a different relationship between them. A much closer and emotional one. And that was something he couldn't allow to happen no matter how much he our Yogi wanted it.

There would be too many complications.

Yogi slowly pulled away, leaving little personal space between their lips as he opened his eyes and looked Gareki strait in the eyes. The distraught emotions Gareki had seen on his features had completely disappeared. Now he just looked normal, much more like himself.

Yogi frowned, looking immensely regretful, and sorrowful. He opened his mouth to speak but the words were stuck on his twitching lips. He lifted a hand instead and placed his thumb onto Gareki's cheek. Specifically on the cut he made with his flames. He healed it. Watching as his skin molded together and was smooth and renewed.

His eyes roamed over his bleeding nose and the purple bruises swelling under his eye, jaw, and cheek. He swallowed hard as he surveyed all that he had done in his emotional state.

He pulled upright from Gareki and unleashed a shocked breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. His lips twitched for words to say.

Gareki continued to glare at him but not as dangerously as before. He pushed himself up on elbows and stared up at his comrade. "Yogi—"

"I'm so sorry!" He blurted looking panicked. He ran a stressful hand through his curls and tried to breath normally. "Oh my god. What did I do?! I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He spoke quickly, barely breathing between his outbursts.

Gareki caught onto his words noticing the meaning. "You didn't want this to happen? You didn't want to fight me? Then why did you?"

Yogi looked at him as if he were crazy. "Of course I didn't want this to happen. I may have been angry at you but I didn't want to hurt you physically. That's not the type of person I am!"

He looked down, noticing he was on top of Gareki. He removed himself and stood up strait. "I didn't want to hurt you," he looked down crossing his arms. "Not like that. Never again. This is twice now that it's happened."

Gareki stared at him as he leaned up into a sitting position and wiped his mouth of the blood drizzleing down the corners of his lips. He already felt his face go numb with healing. "Twice now." He repeated as he thought of the last physical fight they had.

It was during the time after they'd killed Karoku and washed up on shore of a river bank. He recalled Yogi's eyes seeing him bathe, he had gotten angry and hit him after that things were awkward as Yogi tried to restore their partnership but he had pushed him away. Yogi had suddenly gotten overly agitated after that and then they both started fighting.

He had forgotten about that. But now that he remembered he wondered what had happened with Yogi at that time too. He didn't seem like himself. Yogi hadn't elaborated about that occurrence either.

Gareki eyed the blood on the back of his hand he had just wiped from his lips. "What happened to you?"

Yogi turned his eyes away from him. He caught onto the exact memory Gareki had been thinking about. "I haven't told you this but. . . .my emotions are linked with my element of fire. I know it sounds strange, crazy even but the last time I got really angry at you it felt like the fire within me was compelling me to do things that I didn't want to do to you. I was lucky enough to snap out of it before I killed you. The same thing that happened then happened just now." He flickered his eyes back to his. "That person hurting you wasn't me at all. I wouldn't think of doing that to you no matter how angry you make me" he said firmly.

"I figured." Gareki understood. Feeling relieved he had said that.

Yogi lifted an eyebrow. "What?"

He took his eyes away from the blood and turned back up to look at him. "I figured that you weren't yourself while fighting me. It wasn't in your character."

Yogi kept starring at him. "So what exactly is my character to you?"

Gareki answered strait forward," The complete opposite of how you were a minute ago."

Yogi blinked. " Good answer."

Silence laced between them. Tension filled silence.

"I'm sorry again for what I did. I couldn't control myself. And as for that kiss, it was unintentional. I wasn't thinking," Yogi said.

"Which one?" Gareki asked. They had kissed three times now, Yogi knew this.

"The third one. But I guess I would say the second one too. I regret it and I know you do too."

I didn't regret kissing you was on the edge of Gareki's tongue but he swallowed the words. Not wanting Yogi to get the impression that they could be together. "I know the whole purpose of you being angry with me was because I hadn't reacted the way you wanted after you had confessed to me plus everything else, but just know that it's not too late to forget everything that'd happened. I know you don't want to, it's your choice."

Yogi sighed, brushing a hand through his hair. "That's just the thing. . .I don't know what I want. I know I just said I regretted kissing you but I don't think I would want to act like it didn't happen. "

Gareki looked away from him only to see Pastel sitting on top of the wall watching and waiting for them. He glanced up at the sky and saw the pinkish-orange of daybreak peaking in. It was time for them to leave. "Then don't." He turned back to Yogi. "If you don't want to forget, then don't." He got to his feet and fixed his clothing. He began to walk away from him but Yogi grabbed his shoulder stopping him in his tracks.

Gareki slowly turned his head, eyeing his hand before following the length of his arm up to his face. He had a grave look, his violet eyes shining from the miniscule rays of sunlight raining down. "What about you?" Yogi asked daringly, eyes narrowing. "Would you want to forget?"

They stared at each other, none of them saying anything.

"Yeah, I would want to forget." He lied.

Yogi tried not to look away from him as he felt another wave of disappointment cloak his face. " So you would want to forget even my confession to you? How would you respond?"

Gareki reached up and grabbed his wrist, pulling it away from his shoulder before letting it go. "I would respond by telling you I don't love you back and that your confession was only a waste of breath on me," he said boldly. He lied to him twice now and it had been difficult to say those words aloud so heartlessly. And what was more painful was the broken look on his comrade's face.

Yogi nodded as he swallowed the lump in his throat. He averted his eyes away from the Avatar finally. His face transitioning from a sad to stern.

"Yogi—?" Gareki tried but the blonde held up a hand for him to stop talking.

" I get it," he began sourly. "I must be pretty stupid to think that I had a chance with you."

" Yogi, you're not stupid. You just made a mistake—"

"Yeah! A mistake—a **big** mistake." He snapped covering his face with a hand as he closed his eyes. "Please. . . .I need a moment to process this. **Alone**."

Gareki frowned. "I'm not going anyw—"

"Just leave!" Yogi yelled, turning away from him.

Gareki pulled on his hood and turned the opposite direction. " Fine," he said quietly as he stepped away from him.

 _I'm sorry, Yogi._ He thought.


	32. Next To You

How hadn't I seen it before. Not once had I noticed it. No matter how perceptive I was. I couldn't help but to feel disappointed in myself for not seeing it sooner. Yogi's feelings for me, now that they were out in the open I realized all the key moments he had let his affections for me show in his actions and words.

The way he looked at me, touched me, allowed risk from me, spoke to me, cared for me. I hadn't been reading him at all, not to an extent where I could've realized his love for me sooner.

I had been inattentive. Now I could see how much he had loved me just by reflecting on those things.

If I had acted differently during his confession to me— I couldn't help but to think of how I would've reacted if the situation between us were different. If we weren't opposites.

When he had told me that he loved me, in all honesty I didn't know how to act or what to say. He had taken me completely off guard. Not just by what he said but that he loved me just like I secretly loved him.

But he had the guts to admit it unlike me.

Half of me when I had kissed him the first time during my blood thirst. I actually felt his emotions when he kissed me back.

No matter how cheesy and predictable it sounded, I wouldn't forget how that kiss had felt. When he had kissed me it'd felt like he was pouring his heart into it. A deep sensation that'd felt like fire and ice clashing. A small spark that had buzzed slightly once our lips connected, made me go numb as his emotions rippled through every vein in my body, so intense. His lips had felt and tasted warm, full, and sweet.

I crossed my arms before reaching a hand up and softly trailed the side of my thumb against my bottom lip, like he had done before kissing me. There had been a singe of heat when he touched me there but it was different when I did it. I didn't feel the burn at all. I found myself longing for it again. His touch and so much more.

There was this honor I felt that he had been the first person to ever kiss me. Of course he didn't know this and I could already expect this to be a surprise to him if he found out about it. But I wasn't planning on bringing up the topic of him being the first person who'd ever kissed me. I was planning on what he and I had done to just blow over and for us to never speak of it.

I retreated my hand away and crossed it over my chest again. After what I had told Yogi I knew I couldn't love him anymore and the same should be for him too.

Truthful words and my emotions seemed so much like a good idea to keep pent up inside of me. But now, seeing how things worked out in the end had me regretting my decisions. But I knew those decisions were necessary.

From everything that he had accused me off and blamed me for, I understood Yogi completely. I had a feeling while he was in his tempered state that everything he had told me were the confessions deep within him he was too afraid to admit aloud while being out of his alter ego. It made a lot of sense.

He had struck a cord in me once he admitted and let loose his own pent up emotions and accusations.

Some of the things he'd said we agreed on.

Like once you fall in love it was a drug. And he was a drug to me. So addictive and hard to push away.

How he had felt so trapped for loving me, wanting to give up his affections for me. I wanted the same thing. I hated my feelings for him. They constantly prodded at my mind and body, forcing me to love him and want his touch everyday and second.

Yogi had thought we could have something more between us. Something more that was even closer then our already linked bonds of magic tied by guardianship. I wasn't so sure of that. Obviously I had other intentions for us, and that was—already as you may know— us having zero relations and for us to just focus on our main priority. Getting him back home.

I may have wanted him probably as much as he wanted me but there were boundaries we couldn't pass— that I couldn't pass.

We were living opposites on two feet. The more I thought that the more I was forced to keep us from beginning a relationship we couldn't handle. There were inevitable lines we couldn't cross. I had lied to him but it was only to insure our protection. He from my world and I from his.

When he had given me that torn look after I had heartlessly told him his confession was wasted on me, that I didn't love him back. I felt a spark in him break. It'd snapped loud and clear in my ears.

Compelling me not to miss it by any chance. But I wouldn't have. My hearing was acute like every other genetic sense on my body. Even if I had tried to ignore it, to some how not hear it then I would've still been aware.

I would've felt it buzz like spit fire against my skin. Other wise I would've smelled a distinct aroma of ash breeze by my nose, or even taste a dull spark on my tongue. There were more ways then one to sense Yogi's link with me had been frayed.

Of course now I was only just intitled by this new sense. It had just happened hours ago that morning when Yogi had kissed me. I assumed the same ability had sprung up inside him too. I could only guess that more uncalled for abilities of our new titles as guardians would awaken within us on the further journey we had to take all through out Dampis Dessert, Kiridian Empire, and the Realm Gates that was located on a rocky island in the Eastern waves, Maharii Sylus. The Island's name.

But I knew I needed to be careful. We had already gotten our magical pulses unattached. The last thing we needed was for something else linked between us to be unattached as well. Both Yogi and I knew that our magical pulses breaking away from their links had been caused by us and how it could be so easy to split apart another link inside of us due to how we act with each other.

But that wouldn't be the only thing coming between me and him. The tension was thick and you could cut it with a damn knife.

Not to mention the same scenario with Pastel. Tension was raised between Yogi and him too. I could see it by the way they carried themselves when it came to each other.

Pastel hadn't really talked to Yogi ever since he had told him about Jiki's death and how it had happened. Pastel blamed him. But I was sure the cat would get over it sooner or later.

So now all three of us were in a tension triangle. I hadn't anticipated this to happen once we were reunited.

But at least it was peace and quiet. Pastel wouldn't be cracking any jokes or rants just to get under my skin. I was grateful for that but I couldn't enjoy it.

The constant stare at my back that I was so accustomed to wasn't there any more. Yogi hadn't looked at me once. Every now and then I would find myself peering at him from the corners of my eyes just to see how he was holding up and the look on his face was constricted into a soft scowl. His eyes pinpointed strait as Pastel led us forward.

At that moment I wondered so many things.

I wondered what was going through his head.

I wondered if he would ever forgive me for not loving him back.

I wondered if he had stopped loving me.

I wondered if the tension between us would stay like this for the rest of our journey.

I ran a hand against my healed cheek, brushing away a none existent strand of hair. My face had healed from the blows he gave me.

Normally as a prince I wouldn't allow someone to hit on me and just let them off the hook with out a broken rib or two but Yogi was an exception. He'd already told me he didn't mean any of it and I'd already figured he wasn't himself while throwing punches at me.

"Can you not stare at me," Yogi said defensively. He fixed me with that same scowl on his face.

A small part of me felt a little knocked off by his tone but I understood he was still upset about earlier that morning.

I blinked at him before turning my head away to looking strait again.

I looked down only to see Pastel cocking his head to the side, leering at us. "You two are awfully quiet. I expected to see you both all chummy with one another once I got back since you had all that **_alone_** time together."

Wrong. I thought. He knew what had happened earlier between me and Yogi. He'd been watching the whole time.

I glanced at Yogi again and saw his scowl deepen as he looked at Pastel. "I wouldn't say that. You expected wrong,"he said accusingly. His violet eyes found mine as he said that.

"I hadn't expected you two to fight like that, especially after. . ."

"Talk about something else." I interrupted Pastel.

Pastel looked at me, mouth still open from his unfinished sentence. "Why? I think we should discuss this."

I shook my head starting to feel my patience waver. "Why do you think we should discuss this? It's none of your business."

"You're right." He turned around," It isn't my business but it is my right to be concerned."

I just glared at him.

"You both are guardians and because of that title you're supposed to be close. That is what both Ivy and Ashanova told me." He informed.

"Well they should rethink about choosing us as their descendants. We obviously weren't meant to be close," Yogi said indignantly. Meanings behind his words were like a slap to my face.

A pang of guilt struck me. Of course when I had denied my love for him I had said it heartlessly but I hadn't thought he would've been so offended by it. Now I knew that I'd been wrong.

"Don't say that!" Pastel said as if the words Yogi had just said would end the world.

"Why shouldn't I? It's the truth." Yogi continued. "Theirs no point in hiding what I have to say. Lord knows I've already admitted everything I had to and look where that got me." Once again his eyes flickered accusingly in my direction and I saw hurt and disappointment in them clearly.

I averted my eyes away, not wanting to feel more guilty then what I already felt.

"As far as I see it we shouldn't even be guardians." Yogi looked away from me." We're not a match. Any of that ringing any bells, Gareki? I'm beginning to follow your logic."

I looked at him calmly. "You know I didn't mean it that way."

"Oh really?" He crossed his arms. "Well you might as well have."

I sighed, walking ahead of him. "I'm done with this conversation."

"And there you go," Yogi blurted with his hands gesturing frustratedly as he stopped his pace. "You're walking away from your problems. The typical thing you would do. Well news flash, Gareki, this conversation isn't going anywhere, it's going to follow you."

I stopped walking and faced him with a glower. Pastel stopped as well and looked at us standing rigid as if he were prepared to stop fists from being thrown between us.

But I wasn't going to fight. I wasn't going to lay a finger on him. I was the cause of making him speak to me this way. I was the entire reason why he was even pissed at me right now. So who was I to go off on him when it had been my fault in the first place.

"First of all that was a shitty ass accusation you just gave me. You don't know me well enough to say that. I don't run I face my problems. Now get your facts straight before you go off misunderstanding me." I took a couple steps toward him and nearly closed the gap of space between us as I intimidatingly faced him, willing my voice to sound deeper.

"Now like I said, I'm _**done**_ with this conversation and so should you." There was an unmistakable grudge in my voice that undeniably told him not to argue with me as my eyes held his without blinking.

He pursed his lips as his jaw muscles worked; wanting to say more but couldn't as he stared into my eyes. I could tell he was compelled to keep his mouth shut because of my hypnotic eyes.

Having that said he gave me a longing glare before walking past me, our shoulders nearly grazing against each others but I noticed him putting distance between us, making sure we didn't touch.

I stared in the spot he'd been standing as I shoved my hands deep inside my jean pockets. I slowly shook my head feeling the offended sting from his actions. I reminded myself that this was for his own good before turning and continued to follow Pastel who led us through the maze.

* * *

Hours had passed and the day had transitioned to afternoon. We were closer to Eva's castle now.

I vigilantly eyed the perimeter of the high wall that was built of solid, smooth stone as it curved into a wide circle. It stood stories high above us with a double door gate fencing off the interior where we could see the stone built castle inside and it's entrance.

The giant wall must of been for protection.

Yogi stood next to me, taking the view all in just like I was.

"So this is it?" I asked warily. "We made it?"

"What does it look like?" Pastel countered.

"All I see is a giant wall that blocks us from getting inside," Yogi said.

"Well naturally we'll have to find someway of getting inside." Pastel pattered forward. He reached the gate and started clawing at it.

I watched him for a few seconds before face palming. What was he doing. How was that going to—

I paused, my eyes snapping open as my ears twitched.

Pastel continued to loudly claw at the gate, making this nail scratching against metal sound. But some other sound had alerted me raising my suspicions about the castle.

For one, things were quiet, too quiet. It was like as soon as we stepped onto the grounds near the wall the atmosphere turned silent.

Yogi and I exchanged glances. He giving me this questionable glare but I ignored him and lingered my attention over to the top of the wall.

My eyes narrowed the longer I stared. Pastel continued scratching, every second the hairs on my neck rising as my tail stilled it's slow waving movements.

"Something isn't right." I whispered.

Yogi kept his frown on me. " What are you—"

Suddenly a loud deep horn echoed out. It sounded eerie, continuously ringing out through our silence. A full minute passed before it stopped. A second of silence was all we had before the thumping of boots marching against the ground bellowed out from the castle.

Men dressed in armored blue suits came marching in a group from the wall's gate before surround us. They aimed their spears at us. Long and sharp made with metal.

Pastel came to stop at my feet looking up at me about to say something but was interrupted by one of the armored men.

"Outsiders! We have Outsiders who've come to steal the jewels of Queen Eva," he said to his league but then he said to us," Stand down or you will die by our wrath!"

I glared at them as I gave Yogi a side ways peer. His hand was slowly inching for his sword but one of the guards saw him and lunged for him.

Quickly I lifted my hand and shot a bolt of electricity. My aim being perfect as my shot struck the man in his chest. He fell to the ground body seizure-ing as my magic electrocuted him.

As soon as that display had happened every guard advanced at us, spears coming closer as a threat.

Yogi and I whipped out our weapons and stood back to back as the circle of guards tightened around us.

"No!" Pastel hissed at us. "Don't."

"We're not here to cause any trouble!" Yogi defended.

"Yeah,they'll definitely believe that."I mocked him with ridicule lodged in my voice.

Violet eyes peered at me from the corners. " You're the one who shot and killed one of them." He defended.

"Only because you stupidly tried to grab for you weapon when we're _**literally**_ surrounded. And I killed him only to save your life. You're welcome." I bit back.

He opened his mouth to retort but Pastel jumped into our argument. "I understand that you two are having some kind of lovers quarrel but right now we have a situation. You weren't supposed to —"

"Surrender yourselves, Outsiders!"

I yelled back. "We don't want any trouble. We just want to talk to Queen Eva."

They all lunged at us as soon as those words slipped past my lips.

"Nice work." Yogi scolded me. I scowled at him before moving my glaive. Swinging it along with my body's spinning movements. I cut off the attempts of the guards who were trying to pierce me with their spears with the blade of my glaive.

A sharp clank of metal slamming against metal rang through my ears as I spun again and sent a frosty wind in their direction, knocking them off balance.

As soon as they hit the ground they frosted over and turned into ice statues.

I turned around only to see Yogi stabbing his sword into a guard's chest before pushing his body off of his blade with a foot. Another guard came running from behind. I was about to kill that one but he swiftly turned around with flames igniting his hand. He clamped a firm grasp on the guard's face and sent an inferno of blowing flames to his skull. Burning his head off before retreating his hand away, only to watch the guard fall limply to the ground.

His head a featureless burnt mask of black skin and bone.

"Bad ass." I muttered to myself as I watched him. But he'd heard me and turned to look at me as he fanned the flames on his hand away.

I didn't look away.

From behind him I saw one of the previous guards he hadn't killed yet get up from the ground with a spear pulled back, ready to strike him but I lifted my hand and sent a wisp of my ice magic zipping past Yogi's cheek and stabbed him right in the throat. He gagged standing completely still for a few seconds before falling backwards, choking on the blood rising in his mouth as he clawed at the frozen dart sticking from his neck.

Yogi looked behind himself. His body language taken off guard as he peered down at the man choking on the ground before facing me again.

"The fight is never fully over unless you make sure it is." I advised him, placing a hand on my hip. As soon as I had he sent a beam of light from his palm and shot something behind me. It was my turn to turn around looking caught off guard. I saw one of the blue armored men lying right at my feet with a burnt hole in his head from Yogi's sun beam.

Slowly I looked back at him.

"I should say the same to you." He insisted flatly.

Pastel scuttled to a halt between us. "You imbeciles! You weren't supposed to kill them. How else are we supposed to gain trust from Queen Eva to let us inside her castle and get us out of this cave?"

"There was no stopping them." Yogi pointed out. Pastel turned to him. "All because of you! If you hadn't tried to grab for your sword in the first place then we wouldn't be in this mess. Now they believe you two are Outsiders."

I took a step towards him. "Why didn't you tell us to not fight them earlier?"

The cat looked up at me, tail held up high. "I was trying to."

Another loud horn blared through our conversation causing all of us to abruptly go silent. My face turned serious as I looked at the open gates, clenching my glaive.

"We need to make a run for it through the gates before more guards come," I said.

Pastel shook his head but me and Yogi were already booking it towards the open gates. He followed from behind.

As soon as we passed the gates we came across a cobblestone bridge leading to the entrance of the castle. A second sense within me told me to keep running even though I didn't exactly know where.

I looked ahead of us and saw the stone built castle looming over us. Just like the wall it was tall. The cave wall standing behind it as a background.

An idea popped into my head as I ran ahead of Yogi and Pastel.

"Where are we going,Gareki?" Yogi called out, voice laced with anxiety. We were reaching a dead end and up ahead of us the castle gates opened, revealing a fleet of guards who immediately spotted us.

"They're trying to get into the castle! Fire!" One of them yelled.

I heard a cannon fire off behind us as I instructed Yogi to make vines that was high enough so we could reach the roof of the castle. We needed to climb to higher ground. We were like sitting ducks down here.

But before he could oblige arrows were fired down at us and we stopped running. I turned around only to get struck clean through my shoulder. I groaned painfully as I took an unsteady step back.

Pain welted through my arm as I reach a hand up to hold my shoulder. Yogi came next to me and held up his amulet causing a dome shield to circle around the three of us as more arrows rained down. He dropped his amulet back against his chest before turning to me. His eyes instantly moving down to the arrow lodged in my shoulder.

"Shit." He breathed, eyes widening by how much blood drizzled down my arm.

"Take it out, Yogi." Pastel instructed. "We don't have much time."

Yogi frowned at him as if that were an absurd idea. "But I can't—"

"Yogi!"

His head snapped to me as I glared at him. "You heard him," I said firmly.

He shook his head. "If I do that you'll bleed to death. There's no way you can heal that fast."

"I can manage." I told him. "Now, I swear to God if you don't take this damn arrow out of me—"

"Okay, okay." He gave in. Reaching forward he grabbed hold of the arrow. I in held a breath, preparing myself for more pain. He jerked it free. I yelped before grabbing the hole in my shoulder as I felt more blood coursing out. I focused on healing as I watched him look at the arrow. His eyebrows creased as he looked back at me.

"I'm going to return the favor to the person who did this to you." His voice sounded menacing.

I didn't say anything as he turned around, pulled his arm back, igniting the arrow in flames before hurling it through his shield. It flew through the air fast and hit the guard who had controlled the cannon that had hit me with the arrow.

He had been on top of the wall along with other guards with cannons. Arrows still rained down on Yogi's shield and the guards that had run out of the castle entrance were almost on top of us.

I held my glaive. The weapon in my hand being a self insurance that I could defend myself if need be. "We need to move, _**now**_. "

Pastel turned to see that the guards were nearing us. "We'll never make it!"

Yogi pulled his sword out from it's sheath. "Come on,Pastel, have a little faith." He sighed exasperatedly.

Pastel looked at him as if he were crazy. "With you two I find it hard to grasp." The red gem hanging from his collar swung.

Yogi turned to me. "We're going to the roof, right?"

I nodded once. "Ready when you are to drop the shield."

He nodded and we all turned and faced the castle as guards charged at us but at the last minute Yogi dropped his shield and I lifted my good arm and held my hand out sending a strong breeze of frost at them.

They all stopped running as a thick layer of ice covered their bodies. Yogi from behind me kept us in the clear of getting shot by arrows. Once the guards were all frozen over I nudged him with my elbow, giving him the signal the we were clear to go on my side.

He stabbed his sword into the cobblestone ground and yelled,"Thorn Kistse!"

His words echoed around us as the bridge erupted with vines. Two long and thick ones stretched out and reached the roof of the castle creating a path for us to run on.

"Let's go!" I yelled, running up the inclined vine. Yogi and Pastel ran on the opposite one beside me and all three of us ascended to the roof. Arrows still rained down. I did my best with my injured arm to block them away from me by deflecting them with my glaive but some gained the upper hand by grazing me.

I now had cuts on my arms and legs. It was then that I had had enough once another arrow split my skin. I stopped running and turned around, balancing my weight on the vine as I held my glaive in front of me with two hands. My palms and fingers causing frost to overlap against the cold medal of the black rod as I placed the back of it on my shoulder like a shot gun and aimed at the wall where guards stood with cannons.

Where I stood I was high enough to pinpoint my target accurately, not having to tilt my head up at all. I glared as electricity surged through my arms, through my hands and finger tips before lastly crossing over to the blade end of my glaive, loading up a ball of energy that I would eventually shoot.

"Gareki!" Yogi yelled from a distance behind me.

"Not. Now!" I gritted out through clenched fangs.

The ball of electricity snapped and buzzed and vibrated against my glaive, causing the silver blade to glow blue. I flexed my fingers as I aimed at the first guard atop the wall I saw," Say hello to my little friend, bitches." With that said, I let loose the beam of electricity.

I watched as it slammed into the first guard, killing him instantly before I moved my glaive to the right, causing the beam to move along with it, killing the next and the next until all of them were dead.

I cut off the flow of my magic to my weapon and the beam disappeared. I surveyed all that I had done only to hear Yogi calling my name again.

I turned around. "What do you want—!"

I saw blue in the lower corners of my eyes and looked down. There was a whole nother fleet of guards right beneath me holding up bow arrows aimed at me. There was a lot of them too.

"Well perfect," I said with mock enthusiasm. They all shot at me and I sprinted up the vine managing to miss getting hit. I was almost to the roof where Yogi and Pastel were standing when suddenly I heard a snap.

The vine beneath my feet became weightless as it fell. I jumped forward, thinking I could make it to the roof despite the some what wide distance between me and it. Yogi reached out to me and I reached out to him. Time seemed to slow as I felt myself fall and the air around me rushed past.

Our fingers had just barely grazed against each others.

"No!" I heard him yell before the wind in my ears became loud as I fell through mid air, time went fast again and I braced myself for impact with the hard ground.

But the impact never came. Instead I felt firm hands grabbing my clothes and jostling me from left to right. The guards had caught me. Immediately I jerked free from their hands and shoved them off of me.

"Don't touch me!" I snapped, finding my way back to !my own two feet. But their hands kept grabbing me, yanking me down. I jabbed the rod of my glaive into one man's rib, forcing him away from me.

I was smacked in the back of my head by something hard, I stumbled forward. My hair falling into my eyes as I looked up at the thick crowd of guards surrounding me, yelling bloody murder. It was enough to drive me mad. I needed to get away from them. But there were too many. Making it hard to fight.

Men jolted me to my feet and a punch was thrown to my face. Anger pelted me. I yanked one arm free and viciously jabbed it into one of the guard's faces before redirecting it and punched the other guard holding onto me in the face.

"I said, _**don't**_ fucking touch me!"

Yogi suddenly jumped down next to me and held his sword out forcing some of the men to take a cautious step back. "I'd listen to him if I were you," he said dangerously, glowering at all of them.

He glanced at me through the corners of his eyes. "You okay?"

His voice was still deep and firm but I could hear the softness in it. He may have been pissed at me but he hadn't stopped caring about me.

"Yeah," I glared at the guards my eyes blazing a fiery blue as my anger stayed lodged within me. I held my glaive out, daring one of them to come at us.

But then I remembered what Pastel had said about us gaining the trust to be let inside the castle. Even though I didn't want to surrender maybe we still had a chance to prove ourselves innocent.

"Put down your weapons and surrender!" My eyes moved over to a man who was in different armor than the rest. No doubt he was the commander.

"We don't want anymore trouble," Yogi said.

"You've caused enough trouble, Outsiders. Now surrender or die!" The commander demanded. As if on que the guards surrounding us stepped closer,spears out.

I watched all of them. We had no other choice. It was now or never. I pursed my lips. My fingers loosened from my glaive and it loudly clattered to the ground.

Yogi's eyes darted at me. "What are you doing?" He whispered.

"Making a point, now drop your sword." I told him.

His eyebrows creased. "Gareki, if this is to gain their trust it won't work. We're knee deep in trouble. They're going to kill us no matter what we do—"

"No harm will come to you." Spoke the commander catching our attention. "You will only be imprisoned until further notice."

I eyed Yogi and he scowled at me. A full minute passed before he reluctantly dropped his sword with a shake of his head. "I can't believe this."

Two men came over and took our weapons away. Yogi and I watched them leave and just for a split second I got the notion I was making a big mistake.

A slow breeze passed by me. Strands of my hair flying past my eyes. I blinked, the slits in my irises dilating as a familiar scent of blood wafted pass my nose.

Everything around me grew silent as I continued to face the direction our weapons had been taken. But I noticed that all the guard's eyes were lingered some where else. Focusing on what was behind me.

Slowly I turned my head. The first thing I saw was Yogi but his face was constricted into a pained grimace.

Everything was still silent. Gradually my eyes fanned downward and that's when I saw it. A medal spear was lodged through his abdomen. He was bleeding furiously.

My first reaction was to stare at him in shock as his hands levitated over his wound, looking as if he were afraid to touch it. His fingers twitching before he finally fell forward, I caught him before he could hit the ground. My voice caught in my throat as the image of his stomach bleeding stayed in my mind.

My arms froze above his back as he slumped against me. I was too afraid to hug him, thinking I might make his wound worse. My lips tilted open, shacking as my anger peaked. I looked up and saw the commander standing there where Yogi had been. His hand holding the spear that was lodged into Yogi's back.

He yanked it out and Yogi's blood coated it. All I could smell was my comrades scent as I held him close to me.

Everything went slow as I heard my own heart beating in my ears.

"You LIED!" I raged, settling Yogi's body down beside me before I lunged to my feet. No one had a second to react because I had been quick to get to my feet. Angst and anger rippled through me as I snatched him up by the neck and flung him to the ground. The force of my strength causing a crater to form where I had slammed his body to the ground.

But I was only able to get one good punch in before I was yanked off of him. I kicked and jerked trying to regain my freedom so I could rip him limb from limb.

I growled viciously as my eyes blazed a bright fiery blue. My hair fell in my eyes as I tried to free myself.

"Son of a bitch! Once I get my hands on you you'll wish you were never born!" I barked.

The commander pulled himself to his feet with help from his fleet. He faced me with a big red bruise on his cheek where I had victoriously lashed out at him.

I glared at him with my head tilted downward. I was breathing hard through my nose. Never had I felt so infuriated. "You'll pay dearly for what you've done."

He just shook his head smugly. He looked at one of the guards standing near him. "Do it." He ordered and the man walked over to Yogi who was still breathing but I didn't know for how much longer.

I felt frost bite at the air around me as he laid his filthy hands on my comrade. I wanted to yell at him to not touch him but I knew he would only ignore me.

I watched as he lifted Yogi's head and pressed his fingers against his forehead. And then sparks zapped from his finger tips. Yogi snapped his eyes open wide and jolted.

His violet eyes darted from left to right as if panicked. But they were unfocused as if he couldn't see anything.

I watched as his lips quivered as if he wanted to speak but couldn't. Only stutters came pass his lips. His eyes grew wider as he began panting, tears welling up in his eyes before falling down his temples.

"Gar- reki." He managed to say through whimpers. And just like that, the man pulled his fingers away and Yogi closed his eyes again his head falling to the side. He was still breathing but he was slightly pale in complexion.

"What the fuck did you just do to him?" I demanded harshly.

"Took his magic away and so will yours. This is all to insure our Queen's protection, as well as ours." The commander spoke as the man that had touched Yogi came over to me. The men holding me held tighter and I growled at them as I fought their grasp on me. But they wouldn't let go.

"No, don't you dare come near me!" I snapped at him, a vicious growl leaving my throat sounding completely animalistic.

He stepped in front of me and gripped my chin tightly. I kicked him in the leg but he came back with a hard fist to my stomach. I doubled over but his hand stayed firmly on my chin, forcing my head up. He placed his fingers on my forehead and the zapping sensation came quick, plunging me into a flood of memories.

I gasped as my eyes went up inside my head.

War bled out behind my eyes with flashes of death and the stench of blood. I watched my people fight and die and kill. Blood coating their armor in a sickening shade.

My fathers death plagued my brain as the Outsiders took over the throne room of the Ice Castle. Ice broke from the castle's interior.

Flashes of my naked body as my younger self laying in a bed shaking in a king's bed who was my kingdom's enemy.

I remembered the touch, his caress. His eyes ogling me. I felt the terror I had from him.

My lips moved but it felt as though words were difficult to release from my throat. "N- no, no, n-no, no." I found myself whispering through trembling lips.

My mothers face flashed behind my eyes. "You are no longer my son," she said coldly before turning away from me. A slap of sharp cold wind hit my face as soon as she had. To me it felt like I'd been stabbed.

I felt myself choke as it became hard to breathe. It felt like I was under water trying to reach the surface to inhale air but I was constantly going under.

I felt my eyes sting as a wet sensation leaked down my face. Tasting like salt once it met my lips and tongue.

I heard whimpering as I felt the energy leave my body. I felt drained of both my elements. The whimpering continued but then I heard full on sobbing only to realize it was me crying.

I never cried. I had lost what it had felt like to cry a long time ago, feeling as though it were a weakness. But now, something came over me and I welcomed the tears as they bled down my face like a water fall.

"N-no, no,n-no. " I cried. Whatever this man was doing to me, I wanted it to stop.

It was a never ending line of bad memories and just when thought it couldn't get worse, Yogi's bleeding body surfaced into my conscience and I broke completely.

"N-no, Yogi!" I cried harder as the man pulled his fingers away from me. My sobbing ceased as if controlled by his touch and then I slumped to my knees before collapsing to the ground. Left over tears streaming down my face like never before as my eyes closed.

I felt broken and empty.


	33. The Way You Make Me Feel

**Music Choice—Felix Cartel & Clockwork—The Fire(Apex Rise Trap Remix)**

* * *

My mind opened as well as the tingle of sensation that merged it's way over my skin. The first thing I felt was this burning tightness around my wrists. Firm metal cuffs grazed around them, holding me up against the wall with chains as it's slack.

I opened my eyes, blinking the blur away. My neck hung against my chest and I assumed it'd been that way during my sleep considering the muscles ached there. I focused on the solid cement ground, my feet not in contact with it but instead were held above it by a couple inches.

I blinked once more as I realized the dryness of my throat and the tears I had cried earlier against my cheeks and jaw felt crusty.

Lifting my head, black messy fringe fell over my eyes as I scanned the area around me. I was alone.

It was a darkly lit, danky and damp dungeon that leaked drops of water every few seconds interrupting the silence with it's constant: thwap, thwap, thwap, against the ground, creating puddles.

Where was Yogi. Vivid images of him being stabbed and bleeding out leaked my mind. Those forceful fingers pressing against my skull forcing me to witness it over again like a lasting touch. Was he dead or alive. There was no way of knowing. Our links with each other had been cut off.

I grimaced as I ventured to twist my wrists. The sharp pain from the cuffs warned me not to do that again so I stayed still. My brain going through what had happened to me last before I'd fallen unconscious.

No doubt I was being held in a cell for further notice, just like that fucking commander said. As soon as I thought of him memories peddled through my brain like pages turning in a book but quickly until it reached the end.

I remembered being grabbed after falling on my was to the castle's roof, fighting off the guard's hands that were touching me as they tried to subdue me. Yogi had came next to me, defending me.

Then there was the sickening stench of his blood coating the air. Normally I would enjoy the smell of his blood but it had been tampered with because of the commanders deathly calculated actions.

I didn't particularly like the bloody smell of murder unless it was to those who deserved it. Yogi sure as hell hadn't deserved it.

The scene was silent in my brain just like it had been in reality. My heart rate drumming in my ears was the only sound I could hear as I reflected back to the warm finger tips pressing firmly to my forehead, launching me into the depths of bad memories that now felt like they could drive me to insanity.

I jerked as my eyes snapped open wide. My sudden movements rattling the chains holding me up and also caused another sharp stab of pain against my wrists, at least my ankles were free from their agonizingly taut grip. I tried to be grateful in this negative turn of events.

But I could only think positive for so long before it melted away as the minutes passed me up. I had no idea what time it was—well, how much time in the day had gone by. I wondered if it was night already as the pulsing anger in me shredded at my being.

I needed to find Yogi, I needed to get my magic and glaive back, I needed to escape.

All the things I needed and so very much wanted and my temper was the same way. I was angry that I couldn't freeze these shackles off. I was angry my magic had been stolen from me and now I was left feeling drained of competence. I was angry they'd made me cry, reliving every bad memory inside my brain, even the ones I'd forgotten. Or thought I'd forgotten.

I was one hundred-eighteen years old, I had plenty of bad memories from my past. Now I recalled every single one and now it would take another hundred years to forget them all over again. I loathed the commander who had been at fault for doing this to me.

But mostly I was angry that I had let them take Yogi away from me during my sleep. I could've been awake and fighting when I had a clear chance.

I didn't even know where the hell that damn cat was, now that I thought about it. Last time I'd seen him he'd been on the roof of the castle, but he hadn't jumped down when Yogi had. Just my luck—I would have to find both of them now.

Even though we didn't really need Pastel anymore—since he had done his job of leading us to Eva's castle so we could finally get out of this under ground cave— I felt like I was in his debt. So it was only the right thing to save him as well. Even though I wanted to abandon him here and not have to take him all the way to Kiridian Empire where his owner was just so Yogi and I could reach the Realm Gates faster.

I stared at the dripping sealing, cocking my head from left to right to relieve some of the aching in my neck. It helped but the pain was only minor to the ones that of my wrists.

At least my arrow wound was healed.

The silence around me was disturbed by another noise that made me jolt my head up. It sounded like footsteps. Boots walking against cement to be exact. And there was this dangling noise clanking against one another. . . .keys.

It grew closer and closer until I was certain whoever it was was heading in my direction. I felt myself. Was I ready to fight and escape now. Some of my strength had come back but it didn't feel like it was enough. I was still kind of drowsy from my magic being stolen.

I sighed inaudibly in bitter agitation. If I had my magic I could've used the puddle of water near the cell door to form into a long ice dart and control it to fight for me. But that idea was out of the picture. The only thing I could think of to defend myself was with my body.

And by that I meant my fists and feet. Pretty much anything about my body that could inflict enough pain to get me free.

I felt lucky that I had been fighting in physical combats back in my kingdom, giving myself enough lessons to defend myself without the resource of magic or the use of a weapon.

I tensed once the person came into view. My eyes landed on the commander that had stabbed Yogi and had ordered one of his men to steal our magic. Anger welling inside of me was like a punch to the face when I saw him.

I wanted to rip him apart where he stood.

His black leather clothing shadowed against the darkness of my cell—he had changed out of his armor— as he penetrated the lock hole with a key and twisted it. Slowly he pushed the heavy door open.

The chipped metal of the bared door scratching against the floor loudly, echoing against the hollow walls of the entire dungeon.

I kept my eyes locked on him through the long fringe of my hair. He must've known I was angry by the expression I had on my face because once he opened his mouth his words told me so.

"Well don't you look ill tempered." He had the audacity to smirk. His brown eyes found my dull ones.

I couldn't feel or make them glow like they normally would during my anger. It was all because of the absence of my magic.

I clenched my jaw as he stepped into my space. Me clenching my hands into fists as he did. "What are you doing here?" My voice came out dry and deep.

"I'm on duty. Handling some trash that needs to be taken into it's place." He eyed me and as he did I noticed the bruised purple imprints on his neck that were shaped like fingers. I remembered grabbing him by the neck and flinging him to the ground once he had stabbed my comrade.

A slow smirk came across my lips and I couldn't stop it from growing. "I got you good didn't I?" I whispered smugly. "Those bruises might stay a while."

His smirk disappeared before retorting," These bruises may be on you next," he said all too seriously. He turned away from me and yelled,"bring him in!"

A set of boots walked against the ground from outside my cell, but the wall was blocking my view from seeing who he'd been talking to.

He turned back to me, sweeping his fingers through brown hair that was slicked back. Both sides of his hair had been buzzed low leaving the top long into a flat quiff. He might as well have been a good looking guy If he weren't my enemy.

"Remember that trash I told you about?" He asked me, smiling a little. "Well here it is." He stepped aside just as two men in armor dragging Yogi's body up by the arms walked in. I watched and stiffened as they walked further into the small space.

My eyes glued on Yogi as his limp body dragged past me. His blonde hair fell over his closed eyes as his head hung low. My eyes lingered down to the golden hue of his amulet that drooped and swayed around his neck.

The commander hadn't known it would be a weapon that wielded magic, but chances are the magic had been stolen from it to.

I watched as the guards chained him to shackles similar to mine but the chains were longer. Then they dropped him to the ground with a thud. They hadn't even found the courtesy to set him down gently. Ass holes.

The first thing I noticed about him was that he was paler than before. But the bandages wrapped around his torso peaking out from his shirt was the second. He was no longer bleeding.

I didn't get it. They had treated his wound. For what reason. "Why?" Was all I could ask once I averted my attention back to the commander.

He glanced at Yogi for a few seconds, figuring out what I was implying.

He scoffed crossing his arms, looking back at me. "Trust me, I would've let your friend die. Not waist a second of healing him. But you got lucky that Queen Eva wants to speak to you both later on and she can't do that with one of you bleeding all over the place nearing deaths road."

I relaxed my tense muscles only a little as I stared at him cautiously. "What does she have to say?"

He leaned into me and I didn't back away. "You'll have to wait and see," he muttered.

"Get away from me," I growled. "Just because you healed him doesn't mean the score between us is over. I still want to kill you for what you did. Not only to him but to me."

He slowly smiled a mischievous one at me before turning to his fleet and ordered them to leave the room.

Trepidation settled through me and I put myself on guard. Why was he ordering them out. This wasn't a private conversation.

Once the cell door closed the commander turned back to me. "Do you mean your magic?"

"The magic you stole from us, yes," I said darkly.

He changed the subject. "It's strange that you would familiarize yourself as an Avatarian even though they are your enemy. I would've thought as soon as your magic was taken from you this transformation you set yourself in would disperse. Must be some type of inner magical form you have." His eyes studied me. Slowly leering down my body.

I suddenly felt naked to him, hanging there as if I were offering myself to his eyes. The thought revolted me. My tail curled upwards at the end mirroring the discomfort I felt in mind.

He thought Yogi and I were Outsiders. That we were in some sort of glamour disguise.

"That's because I am an Avatarian," I said defensively." I'm not what you think I am," I told him. His brown eyes found mine again and I was relieved he was no longer ogling my body.

"Oh really," he said lightly, cocking his head. " To bad I don't believe you."

I sighed, averting my eyes. I felt like I'd just waisted my breath on this man. Which I had. If I told him I was prince of the Ice Kingdom, he'd think it was all a hoax. That I was transformed to look like prince Gareki when in truth I wasn't. Even my royal tattoo couldn't title my status and label me innocent.

"Whatever, believe what you want. But just so we're clear, you'll pay for what you did," I said threateningly, flickering my eyes back towards him.

He leaned into me again and smirked. "So will you. Let's not forget the scene you and your friend there have caused. You killed my men. You have blood on your hands that belonged to the innocent. You're guilty in my eyes."

I didn't say anything immediately. It had been Yogi who'd made the first move so technically we were guilty. But him lying to me, saying that he wouldn't harm us if we cooperated had been a mouth full of bullshit. He stabbed my partner without a moments hesitation and I was going to give him his karma one way or another.

I lifted my leg up high and kicked him hard in the chest, sending him falling to the ground. "I told you to get away from me." I snapped vehemently.

He moved to his feet, looking disheveled and irritated. His mouth pulled into a sneer as he stood up and roughly fixed his clothes. Brown strands of hair dangled in his eyes before he shoved it back into place with a hand. He surged toward me and warning pulled through me.

I prepared myself for what was to come and I was right to do so. I pulled my tail between my legs and lashed up with it, smacking him hard under his chin. He stumbled back, holding the place I'd hit him.

I glared at him venomously.

He regained his footing and scowled at me, looking more tempered than before.

"You want more?" I asked.

"You don't realize what mistake you just made." He moved in my direction again and I was planning on kicking him again but he prevented my actions by shoving my legs to the wall.

I fought and twisted. He got annoyed and swiftly punched me in the face, the force making my head turn the opposite way. He got me good in the jaw and I instantly felt blood trickle out past my lips.

I slowly turned to face him, a devilish glare in my eyes as my hair hung limply down to my nose.

Suddenly as if he were bipolar, his scowl left his face and turned into a smile. "You bring out the worst in me," he said mischievously.

I gathered the blood in my mouth and spat it in his face, right underneath his eye.

His smile faltered a little. He reached up and swiped it away and before I knew it he shoved my back to the wall in a strong jolt. The chains attached to the cuffs on my wrists rattled.

He leaned into me. " You know, I've wondered something," he began lightly. "Since you disguise yourself as an Avatar, do you react like one? Let's test you, Outsider. See how much of an Avatar you let on to be."

I growled at him but he didn't seem fazed to get the fuck away from me.

"Pretty realistic." He commented. "But not enough." The smile on his lips was full again. He lifted his hand towards my face and I snapped at him, trying to bite him with my fangs. But he moved his hand and smacked me before running his fingers through my hair. Pushing it out of my eyes and revealed my face entirely. He paused and stared at me—the smile leaving his lips— really stared at me as if he were reading my face.

I continued to glare at him. I wondered what the hell he was doing or trying to do. He kept staring at my face and I wondered if I had something on it to have made him look at me this long.

His smile slowly pulled at his lips again. "Well aren't you a good looking one. You disguised yourself as prince Gareki of the Western Citadel the Ice Kingdom. I never thought an Outsider would go this far for their enemies. So much as to frame the son of Queen Larisa for treason. I wonder what her son would say if he knew about this. I know he's a boy with a high temper. Probably will come all the way down here to kill you himself."

"He wouldn't dream of it," I said knowing full well I was talking about myself.

If he had just recognized me being the prince of the Ice Kingdom then that told me that this kingdom must've been taken over with a lot of Outsiders in the past. He still didn't believe I was the real prince Gareki.

I felt him move his hand lower down my face. I titled my head away from his hand but it followed where ever I tried to gain space between it and myself. "Would you stop touching me! For Christ's sake!"

He caressed his hand at my jaw and lingered a thumb down my full lips. Making my bottom one tilt open to reveal the bottom half of my teeth.

He pulled away only to force my mouth open to get a look at my fangs.

"Hm, these look realistic. I'm surprised that a glamour spell did all this," he said touching one of them. "Their long and sharp. You know the smallest details of trying to glamour yourself as someone else could prove very difficult but you got the fangs down perfectly, there's not even a sign of imperfection."

Of course they don't have imperfections because they're real, dumb ass!

I was tempted to bite down on his finger right then and there but his other hand that was forcing my mouth open was solidly in place.

I was more than relieved when he removed his filthy fingers from my mouth. But that relief was smothered as he trailed his hand down my chest and over one of my pecks. Even though there was an inch of fabric from my hoodie between us I could feel his touch as if it were directly in contact with my skin.

"What are you doing." I asked deeply.

"Testing you." His reply was suspicious. " I've dealt with Avatar's before and I know spots on their bodies that make them go crazy. Let's see how much this glamour spell of yours is enhanced.

As he touched me lower down my chest a chill went through me as his fingers came into contact with my pelvis. He inched upwards with two hands, slowly without hesitation as if he were completely sure of himself. His fingers against my skin felt and disgusted me.

I didn't like it, at all. His touch was unfamiliar to me and disturbing. I swallowed hard, keeping my eyes glued to his face. I didn't want to see what he was doing. I was already being tortured by just feeling it.

His fingers scratched softly up my sides making me gasp uncontrollably. I bit my tongue hard just for letting the noise slip. His hands lifted up my shirt to reveal my toned torso. I felt the air against my now exposed skin.

I jerked away from him and demanded for him to stop.

"You're sick!" I spat.

He shook his head, the smile was still there. "The only sick one is you." He reached into his pocket and brought his hand out. His fingers being coated in what looked to be salt but was purple. He forced my mouth open despite my struggles to move away from him and touched my tongue with his salted finger. Making sure my tongue was coated with it.

Once it made contact every sensation on my body sprung with tremors of delight and satisfaction. I threw my head back feeling like I was melting. My eyes fell back into my head before fluttering closed as I sighed in ecstasy. Feeling my body weaken as the salt dissolved, draining down my throat.

Colors burst behind my eyes as flashes went through my brain. My body turned on with goosebumps as an intense sensation surged through me. My breath was taken away with the pleasure.

Before I could stop him he grabbed my tail and brought it in front of me. I jolted when he touched it.

His touch no longer felt disturbing and unfamiliar. It felt welcoming and arousing.

My head fell back again as a moan broke free from my throat as his thumb smoothed over it. The sudden noise didn't sound like me at all.

Never had I ever felt so inclined by this sensation before. It felt like I was high but I was aware. The only downside was that my body didn't feel like it was mine anymore. Neither did my mind. I felt myself lose all common sense.

My skin craved for his touch, his scent filled my nose until it was the only thing I could breathe in, and my brain was filling with lewd thoughts of him. I couldn't control myself, it was like a second sense was compelling me to act a certain way when it came to him.

I breathed a quiet sigh as my head moved forward, hair sweeping over my eyes again. A tipsy smile pulled at me as I bit my bottom lip. Slowly letting it loose from my teeth. I opened my eyes to see him smirking at me.

"What was that?" My voice was breathy and gradual. I didn't feel angry at him anymore. What I wanted was for him to put that salt on my tongue again.

"Something that'll keep you calm." He replied. He tightened his hold on my tail before slowly sliding it through his fist all the way down to the thick black hairs that made up the end.

I didn't know why it felt so good to me.

He did the same action once more but more slowly. Bliss shredded through me and I caught myself moaning again.

I inhaled slowly as my eyebrows creased in concentration. I was forgetting something. . . something important. This. . .wasn't right.

"Do it again." I begged breathlessly. My eyes half way open.

He chuckled." Wow, I never knew Outsiders could harbor a skill that actually make them react like Avatars. Guess that theories been answered."

I gripped onto the last bit of memories I had. "I'm mad at you? I'm supposed to be mad at you, right?"

His smile stayed." You should be. But not right now. Now you need to sleep."

I laughed. Why did I laugh. Nothing was even funny.

"W-why would I need to sleep," I asked weakly. "I want you to touch me again. What ever you did to me I want you to do it again."

I had that feeling as though I was doing something wrong. Something inclining me not to let him touch me. As if someone else I had feelings for would be the only person allowed to touch me.

My brain pictured a man with blonde curly hair and violet eyes, with a loyal personality. He'd always been there, filling that void I had in my heart. I felt like I was betraying him.

The commander lifted his hand towards my face and slowly waved it in front of me. I felt fatigue in my eyes and visibly weakened.

"Right now, you need to sleep," he said quietly.

I wanted to stay awake but my eyes betrayed me by closing on his command. The last thing I remembered was that man's face I couldn't remember the name of.

* * *

The next thing I knew, I'd woken up once again but this time the first thing that occurred to me was that my tongue tasted sour against the roof of my mouth. Discreetly I could indicate every speck of the salt on my tongue individually. Each of them harboring the flavors, sweet, tangy, sour, salty.

Felt like my mouth had exploded.

The next thing that'd occurred to me was that I heard someone calling my name. A voice I knew. And this time I could place the name I'd forgotten.

I opened my eyes slowly only to see Yogi standing right there looking at me. I was relieved to see him on his feet instead of dying on the floor. Guess he really had been healed.

I closed my eyes again feeling a headache come on. I wondered what I'd done to cause it. Last time I woke up I was here alone. And then that guy with brown hair and. . .

My mind stopped as everything up till this moment flashed behind my eyes. I remembered everything.

My eyes snapped open, darting around the room looking for the commander who had touched me. What had he done to me when I went to sleep. Warning bells went off in the back of my skull. I didn't see him and that only made my anger come back. My heart rate quickened just by thinking he violated me in my sleep.

I mean I didn't feel any different that of the time when I first woke up. My clothes weren't disheveled.

I couldn't believe I had acted in such a way towards him. Under the influence of some drug he gave me. It was sickening and I wanted to kill him even more now. Either he violated me or not.

"Where the hell is he?" I yelled, fighting against the chains on my wrists, ignoring the pain they gave me.

Yogi lifted a hand and gripped my arm, forcing me to hold still. "Calm down. I'm going to get you loose. But in the mean time, tell me what happened to you. Who are you looking for?"

I paused as he reached into his hair and brought out a bobby pin. He reached back over to me and began jamming the lock on the cuffs with it, twisting and working it so it could pick the lock open.

Now that I looked at him, I noticed that his own cuffs were off. He must've picked them free while I was knocked out cold. I looked back down and focused on his face, noticing the concentrated expression he was giving as his eyes trained on picking my cuffs.

Then there was his lips. A purple bruise was on the corner of them. Big enough to look like a punch. That hadn't been there the last time I'd seen him.

"Let's not talk about me," I said. " What the hell happened to your lip?" One of my wrists were freed from the cuffs and I automatically reached to touch his bruise but he quickly grasped my wrist—standing clear of my wound there— and pushed it away as he glared at me. Clearly not wanting me to touch him.

"I'm fine," he said roughly almost like he was resentful. He let go of my arm before moving his glare and concentration back to unlocking my other cuff.

I sighed, resting my head back against the wall and retrieving my arm trying to ignore the pain of hanging there with one cuff pulling my body up.

It didn't take a genius to know what was wrong with him. "You're still mad at me, aren't you?"

He blew out a quick humorless laugh. "What gave you that idea?" He sounded bitter.

I shook my head. "Quit it. I know I told you that you don't have to forget what happened between us this morning, but now I think you should if it's making you act like this."

His glare hardened. "How cliché. Now when I get the balls to actually get mad at you, you want me to stop. But if it were vice versa I let you go on being mad at me without once complaining for you to stop. Or to forget what it was that I did to make you angry. That's not fair, Gareki."

I licked my lips." Fine," I said softly. "Be mad at me all you want. I'm not going to oppose to it anymore."

"Good," he said before continuing. "Because I have a right to be angry. I'm not mad because you don't love me back,. I'm disappointed, sure. But the way you turned me down was completely uncalled for and heartless. I'm not an Avatar like you, Gareki—I have feelings. And I got offended when you turned me down like that."

 _Trust me,_ I thought with a down casted glance at the floor. _I already know how heartlessly I turned you down. I don't need to be reminded. Pains me just thinking of it._

"I'm sorry." My voice said.

The sound of my other cuff snapping open broke through our argument and I felt my boots fall into contact with the ground.

Yogi stood away from me and crossed his arm looking at me. A hard expression masking his features. He was in deep from being disappointed with me. "You're not sorry," he began with a shake of his head. "What you said to me you meant it and what I'm about to say I'm going to mean it as well. I'm done with your cold attitude. Once I found out that we were guardians, I thought we were a solid match. Guess it took my confession and your heartless turn down for me to see that I was completely wrong."

I watched as he looked down at the ground, biting his lip. "Guess it goes to show how stupid love can make a person."

My face turned serious. "Not true."

He looked back up at me only to breathe another short laugh and look away from my face. "Oh sure, as if you could understand."

I reached up and brushed hair from my eye. "I understand you."

"No you don't," He said defensively. He walked away from me and stood by the cell door, one hand grasping one of the bars while the other was in his pocket. He stared out at nothing I could see from where I stood. "You don't understand me at all. You don't know what falling in love feels like for me or for yourself because you've been in neither perspectives. I know because I can just look at you and read it off your face."

I had become so easy for him to read and he was right about everything, except for me not being sorry because truthfully I was. "I would get it if you decided to hate me for not loving you," I said leaning against the wall and massaging the ache on my wrists.

A moment of silence laced between us and I looked away from him only to stare at the sealing. "I couldn't." His voice was a whisper a few minutes later. "I couldn't hate you. Even if I am mad at you, I couldn't possibly bring myself to do it. You could say my love for you is clouding my judgment because believe it or not I still have feelings for you."

I breathed a steady breath as soon as he said that. I couldn't even think when I asked him,"Why?"

"Of course you'd ask that." He mumbled. "It's because of so many things but the list is long so I can only name a few. You're intelligent, strong, willing, sexy, attractive, unique, protective, you're compassionate—sometimes—." He turned to face me, leaning his back against the cell door as he pocketed his hands. "Those were a few like I said before but they don't justify entirely what I see in front of me now. What I see in front of me is an entire new list of things I find alluring about you."

I stared at him feeling helplessly intrigued despite myself.

I subconsciously bit the corner of my bottom lip, my face revealing interest.

Yogi started carefully and slow.

"First of all, I love your hair. The way it falls naturally messy over your eyes and always looks perfect despite the way the strands stick and curl out. "

"I love how unique your eyes are. Not just because of the color but when every time you look at me it feels as though they're taking me some where deep in the Arcial Realm."

His violet eyes trailed down to my mouth and instinctively I let my bottom lip loose from my teeth. I saw him swallow as his eyes lingered on them before finally looking me in the eyes again. "Your lips are the most craving thing I love about you. In all honesty I want to kiss you right now just to prove to you how kissable they are to me. And the lip biting I find it to be both seductive and sexy as if you want me to kiss you."

My lips moved without comprehending what to say or how to form words. The things he was telling me I didn't know what to say. I felt like I really meant something to him and that set a warm feeling in my chest. " I . . ." Was all I could say.

"There's the way you carry yourself. As if you're confident in everything you do. You never hesitate." He continued. " I love how the color black or any other dark color I've seen you wear makes you appear mysterious. "

"I love you're tattoos. I especially like how the black ink curves into patterns all the way from your arms to the plains of your chest. They not only symbolize all the injuries you had in fights from the past but they show how strong and determined you are to keep fighting."

" lastly." He breathed. " I love how sexy you look with your shirt off, or on. It doesn't matter because either way I can see how toned your chest and abdomen are through the fabric of that shirt you're wearing right now."

"Yogi. . . " I breathed, finally finding the voice to speak. "Stop. Just. . .stop talking."

"There's more I could list off about you," he said lightly.

I crossed my arms over my chest, eyeing the ground with a shake of my head. "No. I don't deserve it. You don't either. But between you and me being something more. . . it just couldn't work.—"

"Shouldn't I be the judge of who gets to say what can and can't work between us if we ever got in a relationship?" He inquired.

I sighed. "There isn't going to be a relationship."

"Why?"

"I already told you."

"Well tell me again."

"We don't match. Remember? You even said it earlier when we were walking here," I told him.

Yogi furrowed his brows as if he were remembering he'd said that. "Right." He sounded disappointed in himself.

I wanted to say something to him. To let him know that I appreciated him loving those things about me but a noise from outside our cell interrupted us and we instantly stood on guard. Yogi slid away from the door and placed his back flat on the concrete wall beside it. I saw two metal bars on the sealing and jumped up grabbing hold of one before pulling my body up and securing the souls of my boots against the other metal bar so it would be easy for me to swing down and launch a sneak attack on a guard or even the commander if they came in.

Yogi and I stayed silent as the jiggling of keys echoed down the hall, coming closer to us. And for a breath taking moment it stopped.

We had been stupid. This whole time we hadn't been talking about anything but ourselves when we could've been thinking up a plan to get out of here.

The noise started up again and continued to head in our direction. It was even closer now.

I looked at Yogi and found him staring at me. He pointed to my tail that was hanging between my legs. I nodded slowly and curled it around one of my legs to get it out of the way.

He looked away from me and turned to the door again. I looked at it as well and saw a small shadow come into view before gradually growing bigger. I tensed as the figure came into my line of sight but once my eyes focused I found myself breathing in relief.

Pastel stood in the doorway. The gem hanging from his collar glowing a bright red as he used it's magic to hold our weapons above him in a red hue. "You imbeciles. It's only me." He saw us hiding.

The serious look on Yogi's face turned to surprise as he moved to look through the cell door. "Pastel?"

The cat's green eyes looked up at him. "I'm the only talking cat in this entire realm who knows an Avatarian and an Outsider. Who else would I be?"

I swung down from the sealing and landed in a crouch before standing up. I walked over to them and kneeled in front of Pastel. "I heard keys. Do you had them?"

He flicked his tail and the keys that were being held by it swung off and landed right in front of me. Picking them up I quickly detected the correct key and stuck it in the key hole from the other side of the door.

The click-snap of it opening was satisfaction to my ears. I pushed the door open. Yogi and I grabbing our weapons at the same time thanking Pastel.

"We owe you big," I said as my fingers felt the rigged layer of frost left on the black rod of my glaive. It felt different since I didn't have my magic to connect me with it's constant thumbing against my finger tips, as if it had a heart beat of it's own. I wasn't linked to my weapon anymore. But as soon as I got my magic back—and I had hope that I would—I wound be able to use it like before.

"Don't thank me yet," Pastel insisted," We still need to get you both out of here."

"What if we run into guards?" Yogi asked, inspecting his golden sword.

"We're going to have to find our way back to the main floor of the castle since we're in the basement. With that said we're going to need to do it stealthily." Pastel explained. "But if they find us out then you won't have any other choice but to kill them since you're already in big enough trouble as it is. Chances are if they see you they will kill you."

Yogi and I glanced at each other knowingly before looking back at Pastel. I'd already made the mistake of surrendering over our weapons in hopes of gaining their trust, I wasn't going to do it again. "We might as well move then." I said


	34. Gained

I stretched my arm out against Yogi's chest, securing him against the concrete wall as I pressed my back flat against it's hard surface only to peek cautiously around the corner.

My eyes squinted as I peered left and right. The hall was clear of any guards. But that didn't insure me that they weren't close.

I dropped my arm away from him as he leaned towards me and asked in a hushed voice,"Are we clear?" His warm breath fanned my neck causing me to remember every confession he'd just told me.

I pursed my lips as I tried to calm the thumping in my chest. "Yeah, let's go." I moved away from him and he followed from behind with Pastel bringing up the rear. All three of us jogged down the quiet hallway, keeping our footsteps quiet as we possibly could.

We had made it to the second mark inside the dungeons. It was Pastel who'd figured out the sequence of the maze like construction of the place.

Our cell was in hall B7 and we had passed unnoticed through B6, B5, B4, and B3. Now we just needed to pass B2 and B1 and then we'd find our exit.

We were doing good so far but I still couldn't help but to stay vigilant in everything we were doing. I didn't know this place at all and it made sense if there were traps around the corner or detecting spells casted. It was a dungeon after all, it was bound to have security.

We all continued running down the hall.

The entire dungeon staying lit with red lightbulbs giving the place an eerie feeling and made it slightly difficult to see. The red lights mixing in with the shadows wasn't accurate for any of our vision.

With me and Pastel anyway. Yogi's eyes glowed naturally in the dark giving him the asset to see. Mine were controlled by magic in which I didn't have at the moment.

Pastel and I followed Yogi's lead.

We passed cells. Inmates who I presumed instantly by their looks to be Outsiders were being held off inside everyone of them. All talking and making noise. Some caught us running past and yelled after us to let them out of their own cells.

But we ignored them and kept to ourselves.

Suddenly distant footsteps made my ears twitch. Yogi and Pastel didn't seem to notice which meant whoever it was was far away and only I could detect it. But the footsteps weren't alone. They were closing in on us and I could only guess it was because of the inmates yelling our where abouts.

There were five of them, I estimated. We could handle fighting them but we couldn't jeopardize or stealth from noise being made to alert other guards at their posts.

I stopped in my tracks and saw a dark hall we could hide in. "We have company. Stand clear." I told Yogi and Pastel and they stopped running and followed me into the dark hall where we stood flat against the wall.

Our dark clothing doing us a favor by camouflaging us with the black shadows. Pastel's dark grey fur proved useful for him as well.

I could hear the guards coming down from the hall we had just run down. I could smell them clearly as they reached us. All five of them yelled at the cells full of inmates, ordering them to be quiet.

I heard most of the inmates snitch about us running past and I cursed inwardly. I held my glaive securely at my side. It would only be a matter of time before I got to use it.

And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I heard the voice of the commander. He wasn't alone either. He walked with another set of five guards as he passed the darkened hallway we were all hiding in.

"Whats all this noise about?" He asked. I could see him clearly from where I stood in the shadows as he stopped a distance from where we were. A risky thought ran through my head without logic. What would I give to just run out there and stab him in the back with his guard down— just like he did to Yogi. But I knew better than to just let my emotions fight for me. You'd get yourself killed easily for that mistake and I definitely didn't have a death wish today.

One guard walked over to him and stood strait with a hand gesturing a solute. " I'm sorry for the inconveniences, Sir. But it appears that the inmates have all seen other prisoners pass by unattended by a guard. We're all looking into the dilemma at hand but we feel as though they may have escaped from their cell."

The commander positioned his arms behind his back, holding one of his wrists with a hand. He eyed the inmates who were still making a ruckus of noise. Taking a deep breath he bellowed out an order that made them shut up instantly. His voice echoed against the sealing and walls before dying down.

He cleared his throat before straitening up. I noticed he still wasn't in his armor but a sword was sheathed at his side. His attention went back to the guard standing in front of him.

"Are you just now hearing about this?"

The guard nodded once."Yes, Sir."

"Do you have a description of the two escapes?"

"No, Sir."

The commander turned and faced a random inmate. "How about you?"

The Outsider stood close to the cell door, gripping bars in his pale white fists. His eyes were blood shot as he glared at the commander. His beard and hair was white and trimmed. His clothes were tattered and worn with stains.

He'd been here for a while. It didn't take the hair color for me to figure that out. It was because of his appearance. He was aged like an old man. All Outsiders had natural white hair but they could change it to any wanted color they wished it be. It was all apart of their ability to glamour themselves in disguises and identities.

"Yeah I saw em. One was lookin like an Avatarian and the other had a head of blonde hair and then there was this cat, don't know what type though." He stated in a bored tone.

Pastel hissed and I snapped a glare at him so he could be quiet. We had gotten lucky none of the Outsiders had seen us hide or else the guards would've already been on top of us by now.

The commander turned back to the guard he'd been talking to before and squinted his eyes as footsteps came running down the hall.

"Another guard's coming," Yogi informed quietly next to me. As if on que I averted my eyes and saw a man making his way down the hall. He came to a stop near the commander. His armor rattling as he tried to catch his breath. He looked frantic with his long hair pulled into a messy ponytail with tendrils splitting out in every direction.

"What's the matter?" The commander looked at him.

The guard stood up strait and smoothed back his hair, breathing heavily as he pointed down the hall he had just came from. "I was making my rounds in hall B7 and one of the cells is empty! I don't see those two Outsiders we just picked up earlier."

The commander's eyes widened slightly before his face scrunched up with anger. "It appears we do have escapes. They could be anywhere by now. I don't care what it takes, but bring them to justice and kill them on sight. That is an order."

"But commander." One of the guards spoke up. "What about Queen Eva's orders? She still wishes to have a word with them."

"Oh she'll understand completely," he replied. "Now go."

I saw them move down the hall and listened carefully as there footsteps died. They were a distance away from us now.

That commander was obviously disobeying his orders from his Queen. It sickened me.

We all stepped out of the darkened hallway, staying cautious because of the inmates. I stared in the direction the commander left in and clenched my jaw. "Look for us all you want, but once you find us you're going to wish you hadn't touched me." I muttered under my breath.

I felt a presence move behind me as soon as the words left my lips. "Who touched you?"

I turned my head only to see Yogi standing there giving me a curious expression with his arms crossed.

Pastel walked out of the shadows. "Follow me,"he instructed.

Turning away from each other we both followed him as he led us quietly down the hall as to not alert any of the inmates who as soon as the guards and the commander had left started chatting up a storm all over again.

"The commander. That man we just saw with brown hair." I answered Yogi as we both crouched down low after spotting an alerting crystal lodged into the wall. "And it sure as hell wasn't an innocent touch. He drugged me with something and I. . . ." I trailed off suddenly wondering how to explain to the person that loved me that I had gotten sexually aroused by another man's touch. It felt wrong to me even though we weren't in a relationship.

"And you. . .?" Yogi beckoned me to continue. His eyebrows creased together as if he anticipated the worst.

I looked away from him as I came out with it." It wasn't intentional but once he drugged me and touched me. . . .it felt. . . .good."

I could feel his anticipated stare turn into a glare at the back of my neck. "What kind of good?" His voice was forceful and demanding suddenly.

The sound of armor echoed near us from behind and Pastel immediately led us in a darkened closet filled with torture tools for those of the inmates who were inclined to have a more severe trial then those who were forced to stay behind bars the rest of their lives.

It wasn't a spacious closet either. There wasn't enough space to call personal for myself or to Yogi and Pastel. My back was forced against the wall as Yogi stood closely in front of me. So close I could feel his breath on my lips and could smell his sent more accurately.

It was intoxicating as it filled my nose and smothered my senses. But in a good way.

He reached over and quickly shut the door. Being as silent as he could. He leaned back over and stood in front of me all over again.

We listened and stayed silent as the guards outside passed and we could hear their footsteps distancing away. As soon as they left Yogi spoke up, "What kind of good did he make you feel?" His voice didn't sound as forceful and demanding, instead it sounded like he was jealous.

I had to tilt my head up just to look him in the eyes since he was a few inches taller than me and replied as strait forward as I could.

"He made me feel. . . aroused."

The look on his face said it all after I'd mentioned that. He was in fact jealous.

His eyes looked away from me and I could clearly see the muscles in his jaw working as he clenched and unclenched his teeth. "I can't believe what I'm hearing," he grumbled.

I looked down, feeling disgusted in myself. It may have been a drug controlling my mind but I felt nasty for letting him do what he did, even if I didn't have any control over myself. "It was only a drug, Yogi. It wasn't the real me. Do you honestly think that I would let him touch me like that when I've been nearly sexually assaulted once in my life? That's just plain wrong."

"I'm not saying any of this is your fault. I'm mad at myself for not being there to put a stop to what he did to you. I don't want any body touching you unless that person is me," he said in all seriousness.

I blinked at him, not expecting him to say any of that. Ever since he confessed his love for me it felt like he was a new person. I hadn't known he was territorial over the things he wanted. And that thing was me.

He turned back to my face and leaned down until his lips were next to my ear before he whispered."But between you and me, if you were mine I'd show you how real arousal would feel like without the use of a drug."

I stopped breathing as my heart lurched in my chest. For a second it felt like my brain had imagined what he'd just said but I knew he'd said those words because I could feel the lingering sensation of his breath on my ear lobe.

The cool frost feel of my glaive when I ran my thumb over it brought me back to reality. My mouth opened even though I hadn't thought up words to say. Finally my brain comprehended his bold words and I figured out how to respond. "You can't say things like that." I said breathlessly in a whisper. "This isn't the time or place for us to be speaking about what we could have."

I wasn't thinking when my tail lifted up on it's own and trailed up his leg and he grabbed it. As soon as his fingers wrapped around it I gasped in his ear, my eyes widening as a numb sensation buzzed through my body like pins and needles and pleasure captured me in it's grasp.

I felt weak in the legs and braced myself against the wall behind me. Nails digging into the wood as I bit my lip to conceal a moan. I gained my barrings after a few seconds and swallowed hard.

"Are you okay?" Pastel asked who was sitting on the ground between Yogi and I. He hadn't been paying any attention to our conversation which I was thankful for. Knowing him he would've given me an ear full of it later.

"I'm fine." I lied roughly through tight fangs before pulling my focus onto Yogi's face. His expression masked someone who'd just found out about something they shouldn't of. He searched my face with slightly widened eyes. Clearly surprised by what had just happened.

I reached forward and grabbed my tail before snatching it out of his grasp. I scowled at him. "Don't get cocky and definitely _**don't** _ grab my tail again."

He shook his head slowly in realization and took a small step back. "Sorry, I didn't know—I didn't mean—you mean to tell me _ **that**_ arouses you?!" He whisper shouted in surprise.

"We all have our secret places." I looked away from him, feeling a little embarrassed and irritable. That drug must've still been in my system either that or it had become permanent. For my sake I hoped it hadn't.

My tail slithered from my grasp and fell behind me once more. I refused to look at Yogi as I felt him continuing to stare at me.

"You don't need to feel embarrassed you know." He told me flatly as he shifted in his stance.

Slowly I glanced at him from the corners of my eyes. "How did you know I was—"

He gave me a knowing look and I sighed with a roll of my eyes. Of course he could read me like a book now, how hadn't I guessed that right away. I was completely loosing my touch to keep what I was feeling concealed.

"Yeah, maybe." I settled on saying that.

"If you both are done with your conversation may I insist we get a move on before the guards find us." Pastel pointed out, scratching the door.

"Let's get out of here." I agreed. I honestly couldn't wait to get out of that claustrophobic closet especially after what had just occurred .

* * *

I heard voices of guards coming our way and I quickly grabbed Yogi by the arm and pulled him into an empty cell. Pastel followed as we hid behind the concrete wall that made up the cell's interior.

I leaned over and peaked out only to see the two men walking down the counter hallway, passing us up on the way.

I breathed a sigh of relief. We were almost caught and this was about the 5th time that it'd happened. And the further we grew closer to escaping less hiding spaces were available.

Now we were in hall B2 almost to B1.

But more guards were here then any of the other halls. They knew that we would escape this way since it was the only exit. It was obviously clear we would need to fight soon.

"Let's go." Pastel moved passed me and Yogi and I went to follow after him.

We came to an intersection of halls. The red lights making them all look untrustworthy. "Which way should we take?" Yogi spoke up, glaring at the halls to our left and right.

Pastel paused in thought and a minute later he answered. "Go strait." He took a single step forward and right as he had a clank of metal rang through the silence.

When I looked up I saw it was a dagger cutting rapidly though the air coming strait towards Yogi and I.

Instantly my instincts kicked in and I ducked backwards, landing on my knees as I leaned my upper body down until my back was almost in contact with the cold floor.

My eyes watched the blade as it passed over my face in slow motion. So close I could feel the cold metal touch my nose as the shiny blade reflected my face before zipping past and headed for Yogi who wasn't as quick and flexible as I was.

It was going to cut clean through his leg if I didn't do something.

I thought and reacted quickly by stretching my arm out and grabbed hold of his ankle and yanked hard. He fell, just barely missing the blade as it ripped into his jeans and cut a small wound on his calf.

He landed on his back. And I watched the dagger fly to a light bulb and smash it, causing us to be plunged in half darkness.

Yogi and I both covered our eyes as sparks from the light flew onto us.

I felt Pastel's soft fur against my arm as he jumped into my lap. "They found us out! Defend yourselves —"

"That's enough out of you cat." Spoke the commander as he snatched up Pastel by the scruff of his neck.

I reached out to my glaive but the commander's heavy boot clamped down onto my forearm, holding me down in place on the ground. I stretched out my legs to kick him but more guards came and pointed their spears at me and Yogi.

"Nu uh uh," taunted the commander as he held up Pastel in the form of a warning. "I wouldn't make any sudden moves if I were you."

I glared at him. "You wouldn't dare."

"You wanna test that theory?" He yanked out a pocket knife and held it to Pastel's head. The slits in his green eyes closed up as he saw the knife pointed at him.

Pastel laughed nervously. "Let's not shall we."

"Put him down. It's us you're after." Yogi blurted sternly. I glanced at him as his eyes glared daggers at the commander. And at that moment I saw a fire in his eyes as he stared at the man who'd touched me.

The man smirked. "I may be after you two but this cat is the cause for your escape, isn't he. I'm not dumb, I know a familiar when I see one. Although I do find it strange that he would help you, unless. . . ." His brown eyes averted to Pastel. "He's an Outsider transformed as a cat. Clever but not clever enough."

He inched the blade closer to Pastel.

I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to do something. I bent my arms near both sides of my head to the point where my hands planted themselves flat on the surface of the floor and I propelled myself up to my feet, landing in a crouch before quickly snatching a spear from a guard and forced it in the direction of the commander.

I swatted the dagger from his hand with the spear and threw my shoulder into his chest, shoving him to the floor causing him to drop Pastel.

"Yogi, guard me!" I yelled as I positioned myself on top of the commander, forcing his arms above his head as he tried to reach for his sword.

Yogi quickly obliged and stood behind me fighting off the five guards that'd surrounded us. I didn't have a doubt in my head that he couldn't handle them. I knew how he fought and I had full confidence he could hold them off while I took care of the commander.

I leaned down coming face to face with the man. "Your fight is with me, don't go after that cat again, got it." I snapped.

He kept smirking at me not even fazed by my temper. "What are you trying to pull?" He asked, staring me right in the eyes. "I hope you realize that Queen Eva's jewels will never be yours because you're not getting out of this dungeon. Not when my heart is still beating."

He still thought we were Outsiders here to steal from his queen. "How many times do I have to tell you?" My voice sounded annoyed."I'm an actual Avatar. I'm not here to steal. All we want is to get the hell out of this damn under ground cave with your Queen's help. We have important things we need to do and that doesn't require us to be stuck down here in some damp ass cell!"

"That's exactly where you need to be for killing my men." He accused. "You say you're not a threat but yet you killed when you first came here. That's all the proof I need to know that you are Outsiders."

With that said he jerked his arms free from my grip and grabbed me around my neck using both hands. He stood up and hoisted me to a near by wall.

I struggled to breathe and fight back as his grip tightened.

He pulled one hand away from me and held it up as his fingers zapped with electricity.

Just by that simple action I knew he had claimed my element over electricity, I could feel the familiar pulse as it sparked from his finger tips. One of the guards must've transferred it over to him and now he used it as if it were his own.

I tried to pull his hand away from my neck but he wouldn't budge. He moved his other hand that was full of electricity towards me and I knew it was going to hurt me since I no longer had that element to deflect the pain.

Pastel ran up and jumped with his claws out towards the commander to try and help me but the commander saw him and shoved him aside by slapping him.

I watched as Pastel rolled on the ground in a wicked way and stopped near the far wall across from us. He didn't get back up. He must've passed out during the fall.

I snapped my eyes back to the commander and reached over punching him in the face. I went to hit him again but he forced his hand over my mouth and electrocuted me. A muffled scream left my throat as I felt my own magic pierce my entire body in agonizing waves.

"Do you feel that?" He asked coming closer to me as I continued screaming. "It's called pain. Don't face me like you have some authority over me. Because in reality you're nothing."

I reached up with both hands and clawed at his wrist. He removed his hand from my mouth and ceased electrocuting me getting the hint that I wanted to say something.

I inhaled heavy breaths trying to get my voice back. "Don't . . .act like . .you know. . .me" I heaved. " Because. . .you don't know. . .a damn thing about me."

He stayed silent and waited.

I shook my head slowly. "I'm not nothing. You're the one whose nothing." I lifted a finger at him as I glared right into his eyes. "You want to know what I see standing in front of me right now?"

He didn't respond.

"I see a sad excuse of a man who thinks he's the authority around here just because his title labels him being a commander! You think you can get away with killing us while disobeying your Queen's orders?! Well you're sadly mistaken! You wanna know why?"

He lost his smirk and finally answered. "Why?"

I beckoned him to come closer and he did. Leaving only five inches of space between us. I leaned close to his ear. "Because I don't die or quit without a fight."

I clenched my hand into a fist and landed a good punch to his face. He jerked back as I lifted my leg and kicked him in the groin. That forced his grip from my neck.

I dropped down to my feet and saw him still standing before giving him a round house kick that sent him flying to the ground.

Running over, I picked up my glaive and held the long blade out to him using it as a barrier between both of us, daring him to attack me.

I threw a quick glance at Yogi who was still fighting the guards. His fight had minimized to one against two. He would be joining the fight between me and the commander soon.

I moved my attention back to my own fight.

The commander glowered at me from the ground, his hair failing into his eyes. "Why don't you do us both a favor and you both loose the glamour spell. I already know who you really are."

"Son of a bitch." I sighed exasperatedly. "You don't get it! You never will! I honestly should just kill you right now. For stealing our magic, for stabbing my comrade and for what you did to Pastel, but most of all, for touching me! I still wonder what the hell you did to me once I blacked out."

He laughed through his nose, a short amused laugh that sounded more like forced air from his nostrils. "I still can't believe you reacted the way you did. I mean sure you may look like an Avatarian but I never expected you to react like one."

He recovered and a stood up, pushing his hair back in place. But a few stubborn strands fell back over his forehead. My glaive lifted with him. I made sure to follow his movements with it.

He dusted himself off as he listed off my reactions from him touching me. "It was amusing seeing you like that. The sound of you moaning, gasping uncontrollably. The way you threw your head back just from a simple caress of your tail. And what I found to be most entertaining was you begging for more." He got this smug look on his face as he eyed me with a mischievous smile pulling at his lips as if he'd just figured out something worth while.

"The way you reacted was as if it was your first time being touched like that. Could you perhaps still be a virg—"

"That's none of your business!" I barked, stabbing my glaive closer to his neck. He titled his head up away from the metallic tip. "If you think I'm an Outsider then why do you find so much interest in touching me. You should be disgusted. After all. . . Outsiders are monsters."

"I'm not interested, rather I'm just amused by your display."

"I've had enough of this." I growled before lunging at him with my glaive. He side stepped, winding his arm back before making it snap with electricity that he sent surging at me.

I pulled my glaive in front of me with both hands before twirling it rapidly. The beam of static shot at the center of my spinning weapon and averted it's direction back at him.

He jumped out of the way as it hit the area he had been standing in. Once he landed he did a half spin; bringing his hands together where a ball of flames morphed in the space between his hands and he launched it at me.

It grew in size as it came closer to me. I stopped spinning my glaive and stared at it as it expanded in width. I froze without thinking of the consequences.

But just when I felt the heat slap against my face a figure darted towards me and wrapped a strong arm around my torso and jumped to the side carrying me along. We both fell to the ground.

The ball of fire passed by me and dispersed into thin air. I stared after it feeling as though I'd just woken up from slumber.

Relief hit me first before self scolding.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Yogi practically hissed at me from behind as he removed his strong arm from around my stomach and stood up. "Or were you not thinking at all?"

"Thanks for the save." I offered instead of answering his questions.

"You're lucky I was near you or else you'd be burnt to a crisp by now." He reprimanded.

I sighed glaring at the commander who stared at us. "I just froze."

"Yeah, well do me and a favor and don't do that again."

"Already noted," I said, standing up with my glaive. "But in the mean time he needs to give us our elements and magic back. He isn't using them correctly first of all and he's going to end up hurting someone other than us."

The commander smirked again.

"I'd say I'm using them correctly. See?" He threw a golden beam of light at us and no doubt it was Yogi's element over sunlight. It shot through the air in an uneven line.

Yogi and I parted from each other as the beam hit the ground where we had been. Burning a strait line. I watched as it did so before whipping my head around back to the commander.

"We need to stop him!" I told Yogi. We both stood up from our crouched positions and sprinted towards him, weapons ready.

The commander smirked as he lifted both hands at us. One of his hands shot out a beam of my ice magic and the other was sunlight.

Yogi dodged the sun beam and I deflected the ice beam with the blade of my glaive.

I jumped up high towards the commander with my glaive pulled over my head. But he saw me and threw a ball of sunlight at me.

It struck me on the shoulder and I flew backwards in mid air, spinning uncontrollably quick before colliding with the ground.

My weapon bounced from my grasp and slid away from me as I laid on my front. I grunted as I attempted to push myself back up but I felt drowsy as soon as I lifted myself and only fell back down. My eyes closed with me not being able to prevent myself from falling unconscious.

Yogi stared after Gareki before snapping his head back towards the commander. "It's just you and me. And for your sake you're going to wish it hadn't been this way." He sprinted forward, sword pulled back and ready.

The commander laughed as he stepped aside from Yogi swinging his sword down. He pulled back only to swing again and the commander dodged once more.

"You're weak just like him."

Yogi clenched his hands over the handle of his sword at that comment. Not so much that it had offended him but it had made him angry that such words were being spoken about Gareki.

Quickly he stepped forward and stabbed clean through the commanders thigh and gripped the man by the neck before slamming his back to the wall.

The commander hadn't expected him to do that. He yelped painfully from the blade.

Violet eyes met brown as Yogi stood close to his face. "First of all I don't appreciate scum bags like you talking about the people I care about. Only I can talk about those people. And second of all I don't like men such as yourself touching on what's mine!" Yogi paused only to point at Gareki's unconscious body. "And that boy right there is mine. You touched him so now you're going to pay for it."

"You don't,'t have the guts to kill me!" The commander spat.

Yogi hardened his glare before reaching down and yanked his sword out of the man's leg causing the man to groan in discomfort.

He held it over the his heart. "Like my comrade said earlier. Don't act like you know me." With that said he thrust his weapon forward until it stabbed the commander all the way through his chest.

Yogi watched his face as it constricted with the sensation of pain. His pupils dilated until the brown in them was faded pale.

He felt his blood drip down the length of his blade before making contact with his fingers and that was when he yanked it out and let go of his neck allowing him to fall to the ground at his feet.

The commander didn't get back up after that. He was dead now. Yogi leered down at him before flicking his sword, causing the blood on his blade to splatter against the far wall before sheathing it into it's holster at his hip.

He turned away from the man and walked over to Gareki's glaive just as Pastel got to his feet and stumbled over to him.

Yogi kneeled down and patted him slowly. "Can you ever forgive me about Jiki?"

Pastels green eyes looked up at him. "I know it wasn't your fault entirely, so yes. I can forgive you."

Yogi nodded before turning back to Gareki's glaive and went to pick it up only to have it burn him with how cold it was. He pulled his hand away and paused in thought.

"It's Gareki's soul weapon," Pastel informed. "So only he can touch it."

Yogi pursed his lips pushing away the uncomfortable thought that'd just came into his mind.

Standing up he moved over to Gareki's unconscious form and knelt down next to him. He placed a warm hand onto his cold shoulder and pushed him until he was lying on his back.

He clearly saw the area where the blast of sun magic had hit him and placed a hand on his shoulder. If only he could heal him. But his magic was still absent.

He reached over and trailed the back of his hand against Gareki's cheek. His face softened as he stared down at him. "Why'd he have to go and think we're so different?" He whispered.

"What was that?" Pastel leaned forward.

Yogi shook his head."Nothing. What mattered now is getting our magic back. Some how—"

A bright white light went off behind him. Casting his shadow out in front of him. He turned around only to see a golden orb and a dark blue orb of light floating up from the commander's glowing body and float over to him and Gareki.

A slow breeze threaded through his hair and clothing and as the orbs got closer the wind grew stronger until his hair and clothes were flowing with it.

Yogi's eyes widened as he instinctively lifted his hand out towards the golden light that became bigger as it rotated around him. Finally it made contact with his hand and instantly a strong sensation of magic jolted through his body.

His skin momentarily glowed a golden hue as he closed his eyes allowing the wind to breeze around him like a tornado. Magic and strength flooded every vein and muscle. Absorbing into every pore on his body.

It was both intense and amazing.

He tilted his head up towards the sealing as the wind continued. Opening his eyes they glowed bright gold before fading back to violet.

The wind slowly died as his magic restored itself in it's rightful place.

He leaned his head back down as he lifted a hand and eyed his palm. He closed his fingers into a fist before spreading his hand back open where a flame gushed to life in his palm.

He smiled as he distinguished it. "Amazing." He breathed. His skin no longer glowing golden.

He turned back to Gareki and saw that he was still unconscious but his wound was healed and he could feel that familiar edge of frigid magic within him. He too had gained his magic back.

He reached out to touch him but suddenly his eyes snapped open, glowing a bright blue.


	35. Evermore

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* * *

"And you're sure he's completely dead?" Gareki asked as he,Yogi, and Pastel made their way up the darkened cobblestone steps of the dungeon.

"You saw his dead body, Gareki. Theirs no need for you to question my abilities." Yogi replied exasperatedly, leading the way. "And we got our magic back, didn't we? How else do you explain that?"

He shrugged. "So? That doesn't necessarily mean anything. We don't know these people or their capabilities. They could come back to life."

Yogi sighed and stopped walking before turning to face him, placing a hand on the wall to steady himself on the stairs. "I think gratitude should be in order. I did just defend your honor by killing the very man that laid his hands on you. You're welcome." He tried to keep his voice even but still an indignant undertone was clear despite his preventions.

He stopped walking and looked up at his guardian link. "Thanks."

Yogi lifted a dubious eyebrow.

"I'm serious. Thank you." Gareki admitted more meaningfully.

Satisfied, Yogi turned back around and ascended the stairs. "I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. He's dead. And even if he does come back to life he's going to regret it."

Gareki internally liked the sound of that. Especially since he didn't get his own fight in with the commander. He would've loved to end his life instead of Yogi doing so. But given the likely chance that he would come back to life, then he would have first dibs on killing him on the second round.

"As long as I stab the blade of my glaive in him first," Gareki pointed out.

"Whatever. I've already settled my quarrels with him." Yogi dismissively replied.

"Look ahead of yourselves. The exit." Pastel lifted a paw forward as he hitched on Gareki's shoulder.

They both laid their attention on the arched shaped exit leading into the upper floors of the castle, they'd finally made it after fighting off so many guards. As soon as they exited through they stopped walking and took in the interior of the upper floor of the castle.

Everything was made out of crystals. Harboring the colors violet and purple. Some even being royal blue. Even the furniture was made of it.

Yogi's mouth gaped open slightly as he circled his eyes around, examining it all. "Unreal." He commented quietly.

Gareki walked over to a set of protruding crystals from the ground and laid a finger against it before dragging it down it's smooth sleek surface causing a pattern of frost to linger after his touch. " Eva really must like her crystals."

"Seems that way." Pastel replied, ogling the sealing.

Gareki looked up, eyeing the diamond chandelier. It seemed so odd that a castle would be made this way. But considering that it was Eva's and all that he'd heard about her obsession with crystals then it really wasn't a surprise.

"What are we going to do from here? Find the throne room so we can speak to her?" Yogi asked, breaking them both out of their examination.

Gareki turned to him."Right. I just hope she doesn't plan on attacking us with guards and let us explain why we really came here. She's probably thinking we're Outsiders too. "

Yogi opened his mouth to saw something but suddenly a blast from an attack spell flew through the air towards him.

At the last minute he saw it and casted a shield from his amulet but the strong impact from the blast threw him off his feet once it made contact with it. He rolled against the ground before coming to a sliding halt near the far wall.

Pastel jumped from Gareki's shoulder and ran over to him to see if he was alright.

Gareki glared in the direction the blast had come from before summoning his glaive. He pointed the blade end in that direction. "I know you're there. Show yourself."

A few seconds passed.

He stayed grounded in position.

Keeping his eyes peeled for what was to come.

But once he thought whoever it was that had attacked Yogi wasn't going to come out, the ground vibrated against the souls of his boots before a large bulky figure smashed through the entrance of the hall.

Gareki tightened his hold on his weapon before taking a wary step back from the large creature.

Crystal shards rained to the floor as the black armored cyclops rounded on him with a kick.

He flew through the air fast and hit the wall with his back, causing the wall to crack from his body's impact. He lost his breath before falling away from the wall and fell to the ground on his front.

Small fragments of crystals fell onto him.

Muscles aching from the strong blow, he managed to push himself up on all fours. He slid his hand against the ground and grasped his glaive.

Feeling the firm metal against his palm was a reinsurance he was grateful for.

He glanced all the way up at the cyclops with fearless eyes.

What the hell was a monster like this doing in a Eva's castle. Gareki saw his own reflection in the red iris of the cyclops's single eye. He gripped his glaive as the monster lifted a hand down.

His intention was to grab him.

Gareki attempted to throw a bolt to defend himself but aching muscles had him forced in place. He glanced up again and saw the giant hand right above him now.

"Feuer!"

A large ball of flames slammed against the giant's head, forcing him away from Gareki.

He turned to see Yogi with his arm outstretched as flames engulfed his hand. He advanced over to the Avatar.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Was the first words Yogi exclaimed.

Gareki pushed himself to his feet using his glaive as support. The pain in his back beginning to disperse. "You've never seen a cyclops?"

Yogi gave him a funny look. "Gareki, in my realm the only danger is a dark king wanting to steal my kingdom along with other kingdoms. I don't have creatures like this in my realm."

Gareki glanced back at the cyclops as it moved to it's feet again with a loud growl. "Well consider yourself bloody lucky. Now move!" He yelled and shoved Yogi to the ground as it's giant foot collided with the area they had just been standing in a second ago.

He removed himself from being on top of Yogi and stretched out his glaive towards the monster before focussing his magic within it.

The frost on the black rod glowed blue as his magic surged all the way to the blade making it glow as he threw an ice blast at the cyclops's leg.

It froze his limb in thick ice on impact.

They both got up from the ground just as Pastel hid behind a small protrusion of crystals.

The cyclops eyed them warily as if unsettled by their strong use of magic. He could sense a greater purpose within them. Their capabilities were strong which portrayed a threat in his opinion.

"What is he doing here?" Yogi kept a hand on his amulet just in case the giant lashed out at them he could form a means of protection.

Blue-grey eyes scrutinized their biggest threat. "He's wearing armor with the symbol of a royal. He's assisting Queen Eva."

"As what?" Yogi glanced at him quickly before throwing his eyes back onto the cyclops.

Gareki kept his glaive held out in place. "A guard? An assigned killer? One of those have to fit his occupation."

Blonde eyebrows pinched together at those odds. "Well if he's either of those then he's a threat to us. We have to end him here and now."

Gareki's face hardened. "Way ahead of you." He flung his glaive down. It impacted the ground creating a thick surface of ice that led all the way up to the cyclops's head. He ran up the ramp with his weapon howled back with two hands, ready to swing.

The cyclops saw him coming and jolted his arm up destroying the ramp. But that didn't stop him. He jumped up high and flung his glaive out unleashing a frigid wave of air that froze his eye.

Yogi watched as Gareki landed in a crouch on the other side of the cyclops before holding his amulet out in the palm of his hand.

It levitated and glowed golden as he focused his magic inside of it. He then sent orbs full of his element over sunlight spiraling towards the giant.

The force from the blows knocking him off his feet. Gareki saw the falling cyclops before front rolling out of the way just as he fell.

Regaining his footing he turned and glared at Yogi who shrugged an apology for almost causing the cyclops to fall on him.

Rolling his eyes he dismissed it reluctantly. He walked over to him and they both looked at the struggling cyclops as he scratched his frozen eye.

An unsatisfied grumble vibrated from his throat at the stubborn ice that wouldn't remove itself no matter how hard he carved his nails against it.

In a flash of luminescent sparks, Gareki made his glaive disappear. "He's not getting out of that anytime soon." He turned to go."We should leave while we have the chance."

Yogi clamped a hand on his shoulder, stopping him before he could even take a step and pointed at the cyclops. "I don't think so, look."

Gareki turned his head only to see the cyclops's eye was glowing red and melting away the ice. He turned his body back around until he was facing the scene again."No fucking way. . ." he whispered in astonishment.

The cyclops stood up tall as soon as all the ice on both his eye and leg were melted. Yogi dropped his hand away from Gareki and said lowly," Don't be stupid. The fight isn't over until you make sure it is, remember?" He berated him roughly before stepping towards the giant.

Gareki gave his back a frown as he asked incredulously. "Really? You're doing this now?" He lifted his hands away from his sides to gesture frustration.

"You won't oppose to me being mad at you anymore. Your words not mine," Yogi pressed blandly, not bothering to look at him. He lifted his hand at the cyclops and fire engulfed it once more. He aimed for it's eye.

Gareki sighed."I know what I said. But now you're settling your anger on me when we're in a fight. Really? Now isn't a good time."

"Rather it's a good time or not. I don't care. I'm still mad at you. You think something like what we've argued over could just be settled that quickly. No, it couldn't."

Gareki couldn't believe him. He understood the weight of how angry and disappointed Yogi was at him. But just flat out bringing their argument up in the middle of a fight seemed like he was over doing it.

He just had to bring it all up now at the worst timing possible. Right when he thought things between them had cooled off a little. He'd been wrong again.

The cyclops blasted a red laser from it's eye and Yogi smothered away his fire after not being able to concentrate on his aim and shielded himself as the laser targeted down at him.

"I guess no amount of me apologizing can fix this?" He asked him.

Yogi focused on his shield as it began to crack from the laser's strong impact. "No!"

I must've hurt him really bad for him to say that. Gareki thought. lifting his hand he threw a bolt at the giant's eye causing his laser to stop as he stumbled backwards. "We'll discuss this later. For now focus on fighting."

Yogi's shoulders sagged. "Of course, it's always priorities with you," he said distastefully.

Gareki chose to ignore him as he watched the cyclops gain his footing. His eye was still glowing red.

He shot down another red laser.

Yogi and Gareki jumped out of the way as it cracked the ground in half.

Gareki front rolled next to protruding crystals before raising both hands at the cyclops and shot a beam of electricity. It hit him on the side of his head.

He turned to him before running over. The ground shacking under his heavy footsteps. Gareki moved to his feet and sprinted away from him. Hearing his hand slap the crystals away after being too late to hit him. The cyclops then switched directions before chasing after him again.

His footsteps colliding loudly with the ground close behind. He could feel the cyclops closing in and when he turned his head up a red beam was about to shoot down on him but a second later a ball of fire hit the giant on the head.

He abruptly stopped chasing Gareki and turned to where the flames had come from. His eye landed on Yogi before seeing fire wrapped around his hands. He grumbled finding the culprit, shooting the laser at him instead.

Yogi moved into a run in the opposite direction trying to escape the beam that was chasing after him.

Raising a hand he was about to throw another ball of fire at the cyclops but the beam finally caught up with him and crystalized his leg to the point where it was engulfed in red Amethyst.

He let out a shocked grunt before tripping and fell as the red crystal forced it's way up his torso, chest, neck, and lastly his head. He froze inside of a crystal statue.

Gareki could only watch in shock as the cyclops slowly turned to him next. He tilted his head up to stare right into the large eye of his opponent. "Oh hell," he said in a whisper.

The cyclops shot down another laser at him. But he jumped doing a half cartwheel to the side, landing gracefully on his feet before running all over again.

He heard the laser hit the ground behind him. He could feel the heat at his back as it closed the gape between them. At the last minute Gareki jumped aside into a side roll again and positioned himself in a crouch before twisting around and shot a clean aim at the cyclops's eye with another bolt.

Taking the opportunity to run towards Yogi as the giant covered his eye howling painfully. Once he reached him he kneeled down next to him and touched the rigged crystal surface his body was contained in.

He tried to summon the spell that originally broke ice statues but it didn't work the same for crystal. "It was worth a try." He muttered as he stared at Yogi's paralyzed face.

He looked surprised. Completely taken off guard by what had happened to him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Pastel spoke as he came out of hiding."It's like you have a death wish by turning your back on a fight."

Gareki glanced at the cyclops who was still picking at his eye. "I'm going to fight him once I'm done examining this crystal he froze Yogi in." He turned back around.

"Examining?"

"Yeah, but my magic can't release him. At least without hurting him. I could electrocute this to make it explode. But that'll kill him."

Pastel peered at the containment that was holding Yogi captive before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Gareki but. . . we may have to leave him like this."

Gareki instantly looked at him. "No," he said sternly, his eyebrows creased together. "He saved me countless times so now I'm obligated to do the same."

Pastel gave him a steady glare. "I know you love him. But this is suicide. You hear me?"

Gareki's hard expression softened a little at Pastels remark. "Why would you think that I love him?" He cocked his head.

Pastel flicked his tail in annoyance. His patience was running thin with this Avatar. "I have a second sense when it comes to those who have affections for another. You could hide it but I can just as easily detect it. Now, we need to leave!"

Gareki's grave expression was back again. He leaned down until they were inches apart. "No means no, Pastel. Me and Yogi may be fighting right now, but that's no excuse for me to just leave him here like this. Learn from what I just said."

Pastel's eyes lingered between both the open hallway he could escape through and to Yogi's contained body. He had to make a choice. He sighed dramatically before choosing to stay with Gareki. "Fine. I'm with you. But only because you're the only body guards that can escort me through Dampis."

The Avatar gave him a curt nod, ignoring the fact that the cat only thought of them as sentinels. "I just need to kill that cyclops and then we can go to the throne room. Hopefully Eva can cast away this crystalization spell." He patted a hand on Yogi's containment.

"Okay." The feline agreed.

Gareki stood up and saw the cyclops recover.

He faced him before lifting a fist and brought it down. Gareki casted a shield right as the giant's fist came.

He pressed his feet harder to the ground as the force from the fist pushed him back. He closed his eyes and concentrated the flow of his magic.

He sent a wave of electricity up the cyclops's arm causing him to yank his hand away.

Gareki dispersed his shield before dragging his arm back into a fist, then driving it forward through thin air. Electricity pulsed it's way over the plains of his arm before darting away from his fist and struck fiercely through the air, headed strait for the cyclops where it made it's impact at his chest.

But just when he thought that he would fall. The cyclops reached down and tried to grab him. Gareki stopped hi flow of static and moved out of the way. Not successfully as he felt his tail being grabbed and the next thing he knew, he was being howled away from the ground.

The giant threw him up before grabbing him again but this time his body was squeezed between his fist, arms forced at his sides as he struggled not being able to use his magic.

He struggled to get free, all the while the cyclops stared at him. His eye once again glowing red. It was brighter up close and Gareki instantly stilled in his struggle.

His own eyes widened at what he knew was going to happen next. He could feel the wave of heat from the giant eye flow against his face.

"You have to be kidding me, don't!" He yelled right as he watched the giant red eye shoot it's laser at him. This time there was no stopping it as his body froze over with the spell of crystalization.

* * *

Yogi's POV

Whispers harmonized in my head, all speaking at once in a gush of incoherent words in my language, Rimahakkian instead of the Avatarian dialect I'd been using in the Arcial Realm.

I felt myself closing in and out trying to assess what was being said.

"Wake up. You need to wake up." My father's deep voice echoed all around me and promptly my eyes opened and dilated from the protective golden glow of my amulet that was floating right in front of my face.

I realized quickly that I was hanging upside down and it didn't take the heavy weight of blood rushing to my brain for me to notice it.

The room I was in was right side up. The throne sat a few feet away from me on a small stage of ascending steps. The entire room—even the shiny floor— was made from crystal. Violet made up the entire throne room's color.

But on the stage where the throne was situated made entirely out of the floors crystals were thick large carved Amethyst shaped like daggers that had sprouted free from the ground going in every direction behind the throne. Broadcasting it in all it's worth and from the roots where they based themselves on the floor, they glowed a light pink and purple. The glow surging it's way up making the Amethyst glow. Illuminating the room in half lit darkness.

It was the most amazing and beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

But something wasn't right. Hadn't I just been frozen by the very thing I was calling beautiful. I had thought I was dead for sure after being trapped in that crystal containment without the need to breathe.

It had felt like I was holding my breath. Only for a long, long time.

I looked up to figure out how I was being held upside down only to find my body being outlined in a green hue of light.

It was a levitating spell. I could tell just by the cold slip of it against my skin. I wondered who could've casted it. Had it been one of the guards once they'd freed me from that confinement.

But they would've taken my magic. Oddly enough I felt it flowing through my body but it felt restricted. I attempted to unleash flames from my hands but nothing happened.

Positioning my body upright so I was no longer upside down I tried again. The same result happened.

"If you're trying to use your magic it won't work." Spoke a voice I knew. I looked up to my right and saw Gareki floating upside down towards me with his arms crossed.

"How did we get here?" I asked once he was next to me.

He righted himself. "The cyclops."

"Do you know if Eva ordered him to bring us here so she could kill us herself?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if she did. All the signs are pointing to it. We can't use magic to defend ourselves and we can't move with this levitating spell casted on us."

Sighing I looked away from him only to stare at the glowing background of the throne. "We're so fucked."

Gareki's face pulled into a scowl."Exactly, we are. I wish you hadn't posed yourself as a threat when we first got here. Maybe then we—"

"We what?" I glanced at him, daring him to say this was all my fault when he had just as much to do with the situation as I did.

He kept a steady glare on me. "Maybe then we wouldn't be here like this." He accused calmly.

"I can't believe you right now," I said. "We wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't screwed up by surrendering to that ass of a commander who double crossed us in the end. And let's not forget he stabbed me because of that."

"It was a simple screw up that had a purpose." He defended." It made sense to surrender. I was trying to get the trust from them so they could allow us to speak to Queen Eva. I was doing us both a favor."

"Some favor." I rebuked.

"I didn't see you coming up with any ideas." He retaliated.

I clawed at my hair with a hand. "Urg! How did I fall for a guy like you?!"

"You don't deserve me and I don't deserve you. We've been through this." He grumbled faceing strait.

I clenched my amulet that had stopped glowing and held it over my heart as I turned away from him, clenching my eyes shut.

It hurt. It hurt too much to love him, to want him when we were arguing like this. There was this shallow ache in my chest every time I would say something harsh to him. I wondered if he felt it too.

I wanted so badly to push away what had happened with us that morning. But the thought of his heartless words kept filling my mind on constant replay. I couldn't forget no matter how hard I tried."

"I'm sorry." He said sincerely a moment of silence later. "Words just found their way out of my mouth without thinking. I didn't mean—"

"Don't. Talk. To. Me." My voice was distant, contempt, and disdainful. I didn't want to hear him speak right now. Not after that last comment.

Slowly I reopened my eyes and stared at the far wall across from me.

"There isn't much I can say to make this better, is there?" He continued to talk despite my instruction.

I turned around and found him floating cross-legged with his arms still intertwined over his chest. "Maybe," I said slowly. "Maybe there is or maybe there isn't. It's up to you."

He stared at me for a few seconds before speaking again,"Yogi, I—"

"And yet every time I'm united with you two there's always something interesting happening. " came Pastel.

We both looked up only to see him hop down the stairs of the stage the throne was placed on. I wondered if he had gotten crystalized too, but I didn't want to ask. The important thing was that he was here and could possibly break us from this levitation spell.

"We need to get loose." I began. "Can you help us?"

"I would've expected two sinful Outsiders such as yourselves to have learned by now that you can't always run from what's coming to you." A bold female voice enlightened.

Gareki and I both watched the right corner of the stage. The shadows there shifted into blue as the feminine figure stepped into view. Her pale bare feet pattering to the ground as she walked in our anxious silence.

All of us watched as the women came into the dim purple light of her throne and stood intimidatingly stern.

Her hair cascaded long, thick, and curly down her back. It was mint green as it placed itself against her beautiful face.

Her attire consisted of a two piece. The top pressing securely over her bosom. Casting itself a royal blue with outlines of silver line patterns that shown and sparkled with miniscule diamonds. Her long skirt silked down her legs the same royal blue as her top was. It laid flat against the floor. A purposeful split in the skirt revealed one of her thighs and lower leg in a sexy manner.

Her stomach stood out in the open and on her naval was a piercing of a diamond hanging there.

I could tell just by looking at her that she would remind me of Queen Larisa off the Ice Kingdom judging by the critical look she gave us.

Her green eyes faded over us. Taking in our appearances.

"So this is all the ruckus my guards have been complaining about earlier today." She said coolly. "I can definitely see the interest."

She descended the stairs, still keeping an eye on us. "I had my cyclops capture you and bring you here so I could finally have a word with you both. It seems my own guards couldn't handle a task. You must be stronger than we all know of. But why cast yourselves in these forms?"

Gareki answered."We're not Outsiders. What you see in front of you now is our true forms."

She cocked her head and stopped a few feet in front of us. "Why should I believe you when you've killed my fleet along with Garth?"

We must've looked confused because she elaborated who she was mentioning.

"He's the man who's the leader of the fleet. Some guards who were still alive warned me about all that you've done. I don't think I should trust you. Even though you," she averted her eyes onto Gareki," look like the prince of the Ice Kingdom and you," she turned to look at me," I'm not sure who you are."

"Please," I begged."You have to try. None of what we did on first arrival was intentional. We felt like we were threatened once we were spotted by your men and we had to take action."

She stood there looking as if she contemplated my words into some consideration. She looked up at me again. "Why did you come here? To steal from me? To murder me? What?" She hastily questioned.

"None of those." Gareki replied. "We only came here to ask for your help."

Her thin eyebrows pinched together. "My help in what?"

Gareki looked down at Pastel. "He explained to us that you had the control of sending us up to Dampis Desert."

She looked down at the cat, just now realizing him sitting there. "Who might you be? Another Outsider disguised as a feline?"

"Neither of us are Outsiders, your highness." Pastel pointed." Excuse my sudden appearance. My name is Pastel, the familiar of prince Nai of Kiridian Empire. Nice to meet your acquaintance." He bowed his head and lifted it up again causing his collar's gem to swing.

Eva stared at him taken by surprise. "The Kiridian gem. So if I do say I believe you could I ask why you are so far away from your kingdom?"

Pastel explained the story of him being stolen by the fire district who wanted the gem for complete control over Dampis desert and Kiridian.

"And these two behind me are going to escort me safely back home."

Her eyes squinted slightly before looking back up at me and Gareki. "So you say that you both are innocent and aren't Outsiders?"

Before I could respond Pastel beat me. "They are more than innocent. They are the descendants of both Ivy and Ashanova."

Immediately the serious look on Eva's face broke with shock. "You're lying?"

Pastel looked smug. "I do not lie when it comes to speaking with a royal. But if you don't believe me I'm sure you can see inside their minds and witness the truth from it's roots. You have the ability to mind read, correct?"

Eva looked back down at him. "How did you—"

"I've heard about you." He interjected. Eva eyed him before turning to me and walked forward until she was a few inches away from my face.

Lifting a hands to my forehead and Gareki's her fingers sparkled as her touch placed itself against our skulls.

I felt this needle sensation on my scalp. It felt like spiders were crawling through my hair and down my neck. I stared strait ahead as she kept her fingers pressed on me.

She closed her eyes and her hands jolted. I wondered what she could see in my mind. Could she see everything.

An uncomfortable feeling went through me as the thought of private memories went through my head.

I tried to keep my mind blank so she wouldn't sort through my personals. I didn't know how this mind reading worked but I assumed the person reading your mind would go through the things you imagined. So I kept my mind blank of anything too personal I didn't want her to see.

A moment later her hands pulled from our foreheads and she looked at us after blinking a few times.

She took cautious steps back. Looking wary. "You both are princes of your own kingdoms. I see that you are guardians too. All that you have been through here you do not deserve it. I'm terribly sorry for all the havoc my men have caused you and for my skepticism. I will gladly show you the way to Dampis."

She lifted a hand. It glowed green.

Suddenly the levitation spell disappeared and we both fell to the ground, landing on our feet. "Thank you," I said and she looked at me.

"Don't thank me. I thank you for your service in protecting this realm. You are doing the people here a greet deal. Both of you are." She nodded at Gareki who returned the gesture.

She turned away and began walking to the exit doors of the room. "Follow me. The least I can do is offer you both new clothes. One thing you should know about Dampis Desert is that it's very windy and sandy. You'll need to be prepared."

* * *

You can change into this dressing room." Eva said, handing over folded clothes to me and I grabbed them.

"I'll be waiting outside." She turned in left the dressing room that was filled with hanging armor. Must've been a dressing room for guards. They weren't here though.

It was only me and Gareki. I turned and sat my clothing on the bench, looking up just in time to see him pulling his shirt over his head.

His strong back was to me and on his shoulder blades stood the black engravings of more tribal tattoos I hadn't yet seen.

They were fierce, twisted, and perfect in every way. I wondered if he had drawn them or if someone else had done the deed for him.

He dropped his shirt on the bench, going for the zipper of his jeans and turned to me unaware that I was looking until he looked up. He paused and stared at me through his eyelashes.

An expressionless look on his face. A few seconds passed but it felt like minutes as we stared each other down.

Finally he moved his hands and pulled the zipper down before placing his hands on the hem of his jeans and started to push them off.

I averted my eyes and clenched my jaw at how ridiculous I was being. Just the sexy body of the person I loved. Not a big deal.

I began to strip my own clothes and get dressed.

* * *

I stood in a new attire of clothing that consisted of a tan turtle neck-hoodie, sleeveless with a white undershirt that peeked out at the bottom.

Black slim jeans with ankle high sand boots.

I pulled on the fingerless leather black gloves and placed goggles on my head. Lastly I pulled the two white laces of my turtle neck-hoodie just to see if they pulled the fabric correctly. It worked and I loosened the laces once more.

The turtle neck was supposed to be placed and tightened over my mouth and nose to protect me from breathing in sand.

I glanced at Gareki as he strapped on his ankle high black boots. His attire consisted of a Demobaza craft heavy cotton jersey jumpsuit colored in dark grey. Two black laces hung loosely from the black trim around his waist.

The jumpsuit had a retractable hood which allowed it to hang loosely, making it look like an open turtle neck he could strap closed over his mouth and nose and shield the sand away.

Lastly he wore forearm length fingerless dark grey gloves made with leather.

He stood up after he was done strapping his boots and we both left the room.

* * *

All three of us followed Eva as she led us outside. It was night unlike it had been when we first got here. Seemed to me we had been in that castle longer than expected. She led us behind the castle walking on a bridge that came and went to it's entrance.

Her long skirt fluttered in the wind as well as her hair.

"Where we going?" Gareki asked her as he looked out over the bridge to the dark abyss below.

"We are going to the circle of Evermore. It is the gate that shall open a path to your destination." She answered.

"Do we have to do something in order to open the gate?" I asked, only assuming we had to.

She nodded. "You'll all need to deposit a treasured memory of the person or people you care for or even love. But the circle will choose which memory it wants from you. So it isn't optional in your case. The circle shows and takes what it wants."

"Well that sounds awfully bold." Pastel chided.

"It does sound intimidating. You all will be fine though." Eva led us at the end of the bridge where a large circle was waiting. It was drawn out in a white paint.

There were four small circles in the path of the bigger circle looking like placements for all of us to stand in.

Eva walked over to one on the right and stood in it's center before ordering all of us to take a spot individually in each circle.

We all did as told, taking our places.

Eva stepped forward into the bigger circle until she stood in the center. And suddenly she started dancing.

But not a party dance, it was more. . . traditional and slow.

She waved her hands moving like the waves of water.

A wind passed us and swirled with her movements as if she were bending it to her own will.

"I'm going to need you all to sit cross-legged!" She yelled over the wind.

Gareki and Pastel sat down. He crossed his legs while Pastel moved his front legs across each other, trying to sit like she wanted. I pulled myself down and moved my legs in front of me until they were crossed.

I placed my hands on my thighs and waited for another instruction.

Eva kept moving with the wind. Her skirt bellowing out in a gust of beautiful dark blue fabric that glistened against the neon lighting of Lim Fay.

And suddenly beneath her bare feet the circle glowed to life a bright harlequin of colors. She backed away, positioning herself in her own circle once more.

She sat down pulling her legs into a cross. "The Evermore is here now! Prepare yourselves and close your eyes! It will choose it's memories starting with you Yogi, then Gareki, and lastly Pastel."

My eyes fluttered closed and I breathed steadily. I waited in anticipation as a heavy weight sunk into me. On impact I lost my breath feeling as though I were choking.

Instinctively I snapped my eyes open. Everyone around me was sitting calmly with their eyes closed. While I was sitting here feeling like I'd just been punched in the gut.

I hadn't expected the ceremony to begin so quickly.

I managed to regain my breath and caught an image playing in the upper corners of my eyes. I glanced up and with surprise I stared at the hologram of me playing with my sisters.

It was placed in a scream of the harlequin colors.

I watched as we laugh and ran through the gardens of the castle. My castle.

The Evermore would take the memories of someone or people you care about or love. . .

I could have sworn an image of Gareki would've been up there. Did this mean I didn't love him anymore.

No. . .no. I still loved him even though I felt broken he couldn't return my feelings.

I wanted the hologram to show him just so I could prove it, but it didn't. Eva had said that the circle would choose which memory it would take. I was now curious what memory Gareki's cared or loved one would be.

That is if he even had one

The heavy weight I'd felt was suddenly gone now. It'd left my body for the next person in line which was Gareki.

I kept my eyes open on him.

He jolted just like I had when my breath had been taken away from me when the sudden heavy weight placed inside my chest. But he kept his eyes closed as he tried to catch his breath back.

I looked away from him and looked up instead and that's when I saw the colors all morph into a treasured memory of his. And what I saw felt like I'd lost my breath all over again.

My confession to him played right in front of my eyes. It was there right in front of me. I watched myself as I ran a thumb against his bottom lip before kissing him.

I questioned what was happening. None of it made sense. These were memories for the people or person you cared for or loved and Gareki didn't love me. He'd made that painfully clear that morning.

The vision could also mean that he cared. But this felt more like love to me. So why did he say he didn't love me.

Unless. . .he lied. But why. Why would he lie about not loving me.

Was it amusing to him to see me so heartbroken from his carless rejection . Was he satisfied with me being hurt by him.

All day I had wondered what had I done, was I lacking something he wanted from me. Was I not good enough for his love. All because of him I had looked down on myself! I didn't want to feel like I wasn't perfect for him, but I had. But all in the end it was all a good for nothing lie.

I didn't know what to feel. Grateful that he did actually love me or betrayed by the fact he had lied about it and made me feel like I meant nothing to myself and him.

I felt my heart beating faster as heat flooded my body. I'd never been so angry.


	36. In Common

**Music Choice— In Common— Alicia Keys**

 **Said I Be Gone By Five**

 **But It's Sunrise And I'm still In Your Bed**

 **Goodnight Usually Means GoodBye**

 **Me Replaying Memories In My Head**

* * *

I felt betrayed, yes.

Stupid, yes.

Like I'd just been slapped around by the very person I cared about, also a yes. Out of all the things I read just by simply looking at Gareki. I wondered to myself how I hadn't caught onto how he felt about me.

Especially during my confession to him. I would've seen a clue just by looking at his face that he had lied. But I hadn't, and I felt so dumb that I hadn't succeeded in doing so.

Apparently I couldn't read him all that well. Either that or he still had some skill to keep his feelings locked away. He masked them. And I hadn't had the smallest of intuitive to realize sooner that he could still hide from me.

I had been smug in my ability to read him like a book. That I could understand him just by the use of my eyes. It came to a surprise to me that I hadn't known sooner.

And it sucked that I was only now finding out about his lie by a hologram instead of just by a look.

I guess I wasn't as percipient as I thought.

I looked up at the hologram only to see Pastel's treasured memory. He was back home with a teenage boy who had strange albino hair with purple streaks on the ends of his long bangs that were shifted to one side of his head, I guess that was Nai. Living his feline life in the castle of Kiridian.

A pang settled in my chest and I found myself envying him. Not just because he would return home to his family unlike me who still had a ways to go before I reached mine, but because he didn't have to worry about the things I had. I wanted to drop the load of everything bad that had happened in my life and walk away from it.

It was overwhelming. And some times I felt like I couldn't deal. Just like now.

I still sat crossed-legged with everyone else around the Evermore. I wish I could've stormed off right when I saw Gareki's treasured memory. But breaking the circle's balance would cost all three of us a great deal at being stuck down here. I couldn't risk that.

I grated my teeth against one another, thinking they would break by how much force I added. My hands had closed into tight fists on each of my thighs and I saw the tendons protruding themselves on each arm.

I grew hot all over. If this kept up I would snap and become my violent alter ego again. And as much as I was mad at Gareki for putting me through so much pain, and self regret. I didn't want to attack him again just like earlier that morning.

Just breathe. My conscience told me. Inhaling slowly I exhaled the same way.

Your anger doesn't control you, you control it.

I'd told myself that over and over again. I found myself abiding by it. My anger diminished. I still felt heated but it wasn't as over bearing anymore. I loosened my jaw and spread my hands flat as I stared strait ahead.

The hologram of Pastel's treasured memory was processed in the circle of the Evermore. Eva opened her eyes and so did Gareki and Pastel as if on que.

"It is done." She spoke up before moving to stand. "The Evermore has excepted all of you and is complying to your wish of going up to the surface."

Gareki and Pastel stood up just like I had and Eva raised her arm and with a hand she presented to us the large cave wall that was next to the Evermore circle.

The three of us looked up and eyed the huge length of the wall. Momentarily a rumble reverberated against the souls of my boots.

The wall cracked in specific places as rock made ledges erupted from it's surface. They spiraled their way all the way up till the line of ledges led up to one of the many holes in the cave sealing.

Sand spewed down, sparkling against the colorful neon lighting of Lim Fay.

I eyed the levitating pathway of big rocks. It looked dangerous the higher up it went. But only because of the long, long way down. We'd surely die if we fell from that height.

"This is your path to Dampis," Eva said taking a few steps toward the first levitating rock. "You'll need to climb."

Gareki scrutinized the path with the same attentive glare I had. He looked thoughtful.

Of course he wouldn't fall. His body was durable, flexible, and every action he made was taken into precautions. He strategized well.

The wary glare on his face vanished as his slit eyes caught me staring. I scowled before looking away with a cross of my arms.

Selfish liar. My brain screamed with rage. I felt him stare at me a bit longer before looking away. "We need to get a move on before morning hits." I heard him walk ahead of me along with Pastel.

I watched him go, thinking to myself that I should go ahead and confront him and demand an explanation of why he'd lied to me. But the heat of my anger was still burning strong winthin me.

I was on thin fire. I would snap if he said something out of line. I would need to ask him later, there was no other choice.

I watched him and Pastel climb the first rock before turning down to me with expectation.

I thanked Eva one last time and she bid us farewell and forever good luck on our journey as the descendants of guardians.

* * *

The path for higher had been a quiet one.

None of us spoke except Pastel who was undeniably happy with the results of getting another step closer to home.

Again I envied him. He didn't know how lucky he was.

Thoughts on him had me distracted as I reached for higher ground against the levitating rock I was on. But I had realized too late that the part I had grabbed for leverage was a loose end and snapped once I pulled my weight against it.

My heart propelled itself inside my throat as I felt myself fall.

A cold tight grasp stopped me by the wrist and I looked up to see Gareki flat on his stomach against the rock's surface as his arm reached over the edge holding me.

A cold wind flew past me and I risked a look down.

Big mistake.

We were already thirty stories high. My heart never left my throat as I hung there. My life all in Gareki's single hand holding me.

Now that I focused on his touch I could feel his worry for my life. I tasted sparks of unsaid words he hadn't said but wanted to. I embarked on the sour anger and regret he had towards me.

The only one out of those three had to be the first one that I understood. The others, I didn't know what they meant.

It was strange and foreign how I'd felt and tasted all that just by his touch. I felt the sour taste linger before dispersing from my tongue.

With one strong lift he heaved me on the same surface he was on and let go of me before standing up.

"Close call. You could've died," he said blandly but I got the notion he was relieved that hadn't come to happen. He reached a hand down to help me stand.

I stared up at the exit as I laid on my back catching my breath.

The hole in the cave sealing was a lot bigger up close and the night sky was glowing purple with thousands apon thousands of stars. This world had the most unique scenery.

I glanced at his hand before pulling myself up without his help. Every time I looked at him all I could think about was his damn lie. I couldn't even bring myself to say thanks for saving my life as I moved passed him.

As much as I wanted an explanation I couldn't bare to look at him one more time.

I felt him stare as I walked away. Ignoring the disapproving eye Pastel was giving me as I climbed up the last rock and stood strait up right into the exit of Lim Fay.

We had done it. It was now the conclusion of all our hard work. We had made it back up to the surface, finally.

I was relieved but I couldn't express anything but contempt for reasons you already know.

A breeze flew pass me and I could smell the cold night air. It was fresh and sheer. The temperature of the desert was cold. Which was weird because I'd always assumed it would be hot at all times. Guess it was different at night. It wasn't going to be a problem with any of us though.

Hince the fact I had fire and Gareki lived in cold temperatures that any normal person would die in from hypothermia. And I could always keep Pastel warm if needed.

I reached up and for the first time in my life my hands made contact with the sand.

It was like millions of small beeds were making their way through my finger cracks and nails. The texture was soft but yet hard, like grazing you finger against a rock type of hard. Kind of cold too but it was only because of the chill in the air.

"Are you going up, or what?" Gareki asked me.

I stopped marveling and pulled my weight up for higher ground and rolled on my back once I'd pulled myself all the way to the surface. I was officially in Dampis Desert.

The sleeveless turtle neck-hoodie I was wearing allowed my arms to be bare. I felt the prickle of sand against my skin.

Surrounding us was nothing but a barren land of thick red sand floors. A few cactuses and desert plants grew from the ground. All of them having this dotted glow of purple and blue.

I heard shuffling behind me and turned to see Gareki howling himself up from one of the many holes in the ground.

I had just noticed them all. I eyed them. There had to be at least a hundred in just that one side of the desert. But the rest of the desert floor was clear of any holes.

I watched him as he positioned himself up to his feet, shrugging off the sand as Pastel leaped from his shoulder all but to stretch his paws into it. They sunk down instantly.

He laughed joyfully as he clawed at it. "In all my years of being stuck down there I never though I'd be up here again!"

Gareki shoved his hands into his pockets. "I guess this is a thank you?" He nudged his head to the left in a suggestive manner. "Go and enjoy it while you can because after tonight we're hitting the road towards Kiridian."

Pastel brightened up even more before he turned and frolicked in the sand and rolling in it. Muttering words that matched his joy.

I watched him do so. My envy turning into a slight guilt for even having that feeling towards him. It was his life not mine. Life just faired it this way and perhaps my path in life was suppose to be regretting over an Avatar and being angry at his decisions.

I pushed myself to my feet again. Heaps of sand fell off of my back in thick sprays. Now I understood what Eva had meant when she had told us to dress prepared for Dampis.

"Are you glad we made it?"

I looked away from Pastel and turned to Gareki. As I looked at his face I almost felt broken all over again. Almost.

He had this sad look in which I was confused for the cause. I hadn't seen him look like that before. Usually he masked his emotions from ever reaching his face. Except for anger.

I pointed my attention else where that wasn't settled on him. I didn't care. "Course I'm glad."

In the corner of my eyes I saw him shift uncomfortably. It made me wonder. Wonder what was on his mind.

Judging by his put off stance and facial I would suspect his treasured memory was going through his mind right now.

If I remembered mine then it made perfect sense for him to remember his. My words of the confession and that kiss all running through his brain. Only thing that grabbed my attention about that was that he wasn't saying anything to me about it.

It was his intention to keep his feelings for me to himself. Once again. But he didn't know that I already knew, which was the sad thing.

And him continuing to pass this as a secret with himself only pissed me off more. I could feel the heat growing again over my skin. I clenched my hands into fists.

I was tempted to spit out everything I'd just found out. To accuse him of betraying me with his lies and for making me feel so many things I hadn't wanted to accuse myself of. It was all on the tip of my tongue.

But once I looked at him again I had to swallow it all back down. Not now. The heat on me was too over bearing. I would snap for sure if I got even angrier. And me yelling at him would definitely trigger it.

I'd just allow him to be guilty for now. Lord knows he felt that right now for his lies.

He opened his mouth to say something but stopped as if he weighed his options. I thought he was going to admit everything to me. Because that's all I wanted to know was why.

But he changed his mind. Instead he lifted his hand and within a flash of blue sparks of light appeared a map. He unfolded it and held it to me.

Disappointedly, I grabbed it and brought my eyes to scan over the imprinted black ink and illustrations of places we'd already been to as well as places we hadn't.

I noticed soon as I laid my eyes on it that it was the map Gabriel had given us back in Lumines Forest.

"What am I looking at?" I grumbled.

Gareki came over and stopped close to me as he pointed at Dampis on the paper. "You're looking at how far off we need to go in order to reach the Realm Gates. There's not much we need to go on," he said meaningfully.

He was right. Now that I looked I could see we had only Kiridian and The Salt Ocean until we reached Maharii Sylus. The island of the Realm Gates.

For the first time all day blithe placed itself inside of me. At least there was one thing that could cheer me up now. But despite it I still couldn't help but be mad.

What Gareki did wasn't something I could easily get over with the news of getting closer to home. Sure I could save and regain my kingdom and throne and slay Vileus. But a thought came to me. I had planned to give the title of leadership over the Sun Kingdom to Tukuomo and come back to the Arcial Realm so Gareki and I could fulfill our duties as guardians.

But with me being mad at him. I felt like I didn't want to go through with that idea anymore.

But then the weight of who I was now had me rethinking. I was a guardian now and there was no place to say no to what my job was. I had to protect the Arcial Realm, I couldn't be selfish and just quit all because of my own needs.

I pushed the map back into his hands. "That's great." I pushed my hands into my pockets before walking forward.

Gareki folded the map back up. I could feel him frowning at my back. "You don't sound very enthused."

"Well I am." I snapped, stopping in my tracks only to turn and glower at him.

He made the map disappear. All the while kept the frown on his face. "Are you really still mad at me that your letting that judge your happiness at being closer to home? You shouldn't let that happen."

"Either I should or shouldn't I already did," I said stubbornly.

The bright moon revealed more of his face that was now pulled into a scowl. He looked away from me, jaw tight. He pushed a hand through his hair just as a cold breeze blew pass us.

His lips part as he turned back to me. But he was weighing his words again.

I hated how good he looked standing there. His hair flowing with the wind. Eyes reflecting the light of the moon. How porcelain and smooth his skin looked as the light fell on us. I still found him alluring.

His lips moved as he stared right in my eyes. "I can't deal with this anymore." He walked away from me, not looking back. I watched him go and allowed him to.

Later that night as we set up camp to sleep. I stayed awake by myself.

For one, I wanted to be on watch. And two, I just couldn't sleep. I was conflicted with my decisions. Trying to choose one from the other.

What Gareki had said to me earlier rang bells in my ears. Even as he slept next to me I still heard them ringing.

And no. He hadn't slept next to me willingly. I had sat next to him while he was long gone into sleep. Making sure I stayed silent because even though it seemed he was in deep slumber I knew a twig snap would jostle him awake.

I didn't know why I did it. I guess I just needed closure in being close to him. Just for now and only now.

He'd told me he couldn't deal with this anymore. Relatively speaking he hadn't been insinuating what I was thinking. He'd been talking about our arguments. But I was thinking about him specifically and what I wanted.

Could I deal with this. Could I still love him after the things I'd figured out.

Or maybe I was overreacting because I'd just caught him lying. It didn't seem right of me to judge my love for him all because of a lie.

But that lie had hurt me. Way more then needed.

I needed to know the reasoning behind it. That is if I could get my anger under control. Just thinking about all this had my temper flaring all over again.

I closed my eyes before throwing my face into my hands. "Why did things have to turn out like this!" I whispered harshly. My breath fogged past my lips from the cold atmosphere.

I sighed. Keeping my eyes closed as I pushed both hands against the curls of my hair before dropping them away in my lap.

I needed to let off steam. Lots of it.

Looking up I saw a group of cactuses a few feet away. Standing up I made my way over to them. On my way over I kicked off my boots.

My feet were burning and sooner rather than later they would've caught fire.

The night was quiet and still without many predators lurking around. If you counted the rattle snakes, lizards, and spiders. They were harmless to us though as long as we didn't bother them neither them with us.

I moved silently against the sand as it prickled my bare feet with soft stabs, working their way between my toes.

I crossed my arms at the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. Throwing it down to the ground as I felt my body heating up further. The cold air against my bare chest did nothing to cool me off.

But that was fine. I would get cooler once I let loose my pent up anger.

I was growing closer to the cactuses now. I looked behind me and not only saw the length of my shadow as the moon rose brightly in front of me but saw how far I'd walked from camp. It was a big distance but not too far.

I turned back around and stopped. My targets were right in front of me. My expression hardened as I felt my skin burning.

I ripped my leather gloves off and threw them somewhere. My brain being too preoccupied with feeling betrayed, idiotic, and blinded by my emotions to even care where I'd thrown them.

I set myself in a running stance before propelling myself forward.

The wind rushed past me. I pulled my arm back and felt flames erupt from every pore before igniting my entire limb. Once I reached one of the cactuses I jerked my arm forward and abruptly stopped running, causing the flames to fly off.

They darted through the air quickly before striking clean through the cactus.

I turned and lifted my other hand, spreading my fingers as fire closed around my hand. I pulled back and threw it. "Arrghh!" An angry growl left my throat as my second target went down in fire.

I turned to the next and did the same. Again and again. I was blind by the bright flames as I kept throwing them in every direction, not even hitting a target any more.

"Why?!"

I yelled to no one.

"Why not just tell me the truth?!" I threw another wave of fire. Hitting a plant.

"I don't deserve any of this!"

I spun with my arm stretched out and flames left my hand. I blew up another cactus.

I was mad at myself for not seeing it. I could've prevented any of this from happening. Wouldn't have felt so heartbroken and meaningless to Gareki.

Despite me missing my chance to prevent any of this. He had so much to do with this too.

Deliberately he'd lied strait to my face. What ever happened to trust between us. Clearly he didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth behind his lies.

I remembered the sad look on his face. He was guilty. But he still hadn't found decency to tell me.

I felt my throat warming. Ascending it's warmth upwards. I ignored it as I laced my fingers into my hair.

The world around me was spinning as I tried to think good thoughts of why he could've possibly lied. He had to of had his reasons other than making me feel like an idiot and everything else bad I thought about myself after he'd turned me down.

I shook my head. None had come to me. The warmth in my throat grew intense.

"How could I have been so stupid?!" Apon saying "stupid" the heat in my throat spread over my tongue and flew out of my mouth. I opened my eyes just in time to see flames shooting past my lips.

I ran out of air to breathe and then it stopped shooting altogether. I fell to my hands and knees, taking air in heavily.

I was stunned. My lips trembled as the warmth seeped down my throat until I couldn't feel it. I dropped my head down as I breathed carefully past my lips. Testing if fire would shoot out my throat again.

I had just breathed fire from my mouth. And yet my tongue and throat were unharmed.

How had I done that. . .

Was it because I was mad.

A low growl came from behind. I paused right away. I sensed a looming presence behind me.

I didn't move. The only action I made was to slowly turn my head to look at the creature behind me.

I looked into the red eyes of a wolf. But it wasn't an ordinary wolf. It's fur was jet black with paws glowing with flames. His tail had flames cascading naturally down it's length. It's stature was bulky and taller then any ordinary wolf I'd ever seen.

I looked back up at it's face and saw him barring his fangs. He lunged at me before I could even defend myself.

"Elektrizität!"

A flash of white light blinded me momentarily as it struck the fire wolf from behind. The wolf gave a shrill yelp as it darted away from me only to growl at Gareki who stood there with his glaive. Pastel hid behind his boot. He peeked out only to quickly hide again.

The wolf looked at him and kept his sight on him with a growl before turning his red eyes back to me, only to look down at my amulet.

The next thing he did was completely odd. He turned and ran. Darted fast until he was a speck in the distance.

Gareki put away his glaive before looking at me. A slightly irked expression marring his face. "What the hell were you doing all the way out here?" He eyed my shirtless and bare foot body.

He lifted a hand and gestured my appearance. "Why?"

I got up and moved to my shirts before pulling them back on. "Throwing fire. Does it matter?" I muttered flatly.

He crossed his arms. "Yeah, it does. If you count the fact you almost died by that thing— if I hadn't of woken up to save your ass. But What if I hadn't of woken up?"

I pulled on my leather gloves. "I wouldn't be alive, obviously." I looked at him, myself still feeling miffed despite the all out rage fest I'd just had. Clearly it had been a waist of my time.

"And whose fault would that be?" He took a step towards me. "I'm trying to keep us both safe here and yet you're out here throwing fire—away from us. How hadn't you thought a threat would come for you?"

I pulled on my boots before tying them. "Look,Gareki I get it! I wasn't thinking, okay?! But I'm fine now. Can you drop it." I demanded holding no room for argument in my tone of voice.

He just stared at me with a slight dumb founded look on his face. He placed his hands on his hips. He nodded slowly as he looked down at the ground. "Fine." He looked back up and glared at me. "I'll drop it," he said darkly. "I get that you're mad at me and probably won't forgive me, but you should think twice before you argue with the person that just saved your life." He dropped his hands turning away from me and walked away.

I could feel the chill breeze pass me and I got the sense that it wasn't the night atmosphere.

Pastel and I watched after Gareki.

He turned to me and glared. "Has that confession got you this riled up that you had to go and upset him? I know things didn't go the way you wanted but don't you think you're being—"

"This doesn't concern you, Pastel." I interjected harshly." This is between me and him. Don't act like you could ever understand."

He shook his head sadly. "I don't like what you're becoming. When we first met I saw how much you cared about him. But now." He stopped to eye me up and down. "I'm looking at a stranger."

He turned and left me there.

* * *

All of us watched the sun rise over the horizon as we trekked east in Dampis.

Pastel traveling on Gareki's shoulder.

The silence between us was thick just like the blue hue of Gareki's aura protecting him from the intense heat and sunlight of the desert.

What Pastel had told me last night had me thinking to apologize to Gareki. But I couldn't bring myself to. Me still being angry with him only seemed like my apology would sound fake.

Besides, now he was even mad at me from last night. He wasn't approachable right now. Which also meant I couldn't get answers to the lingering question in my head.

We traveled in more silence until we reached the hours of noon. The sun was just between the horizon now. I didn't know how much I had missed it until it had touched my skin. It fueled me.

I stopped walking as I got an odd sense.

I didn't know what it was but it felt like it was closing in.

I frowned. "Hold on." I whispered.

Gareki stopped walking and looked at me. "You feel it too?"

"Like something is coming for us," I said, implying if that's what he felt as well.

"Exactly." He squared his shoulders as his hands sparked with static. "Who ever it is is getting closer, and it doesn't feel good."

I stood ready as well. A glow of golden light coming from my hands.

We both stood opposite from each other. I was looking West while Gareki looked East and Pastel looked North.

We waited and waited.

"There!" Pastel yelled, jumping from Gareki's shoulder. "It's them. I just know it. They're coming to get me!"

Gareki and I focused on the fire tornado coming towards us. It was huge, mixing in with the clouds turning them this tan color.

"Whose coming for you?" Gareki asked, not bothering to look at Pastel but instead kept his eyes on the fire in front of us.

"The Fire District." He hid behind Gareki but was still easy to spot for his enemies.

Gareki glared at the fire. "We won't let them take you."

The tornado came closer until it stopped a few feet in front of us. It stopped spinning and the fire dispersed into sparks. Flying all around us until they eventually disappeared too.

Standing in front us now were two boys around my age and that same fire wolf we'd seen last night.

They were dressed in red skin tight suits with a symbol symbolizing the Fire District.

One of them had deep red hair while the other had dark blue. They weren't what I would've expected as Fire District. They didn't look as bulky and muscular and intimidating. But they were a threat. And I couldn't judge them by their appearance.

"Well, well, well." Spoke red head." Look what we've got here. The cat is back with princes'. Don't think you can get yourself out of this one."

He eyed me with the strangest eye color. Yellow with specks of orange in them.

"Who are you?" Gareki asked sternly.

His yellow eyes looked at Gareki next. "I don't think it's the right thing to tell you our names. But considering you're all going to die, I might as well. It's Kagiri and that idiot over there is Kiharu." He pointed to the blue head who glared at him. "And thanks to this wolf here, we found you so easily in this big ass desert." He caressed the head of the fire wolf.

"Well you may think you have the upper hand but we're not letting you take Pastel." Gareki lifted his hand of ice magic. "Now back off."

Kiharu laughed at him. "Do you honestly think you have the power of harming us, Avatar? I hope you know that ice can't do anything to us. Our fire is way more powerful then you might think."

Gareki smirked. "Trust me, I know." But instead of shooting ice he made his glaive appear and spun it in his hand before shooting electricity out of it.

I watched as it hit the wolf. "I got the dog and Kiharu you handle Kagiri," he instructed quickly as they both darted towards him. He guarded Pastel.

I looked up only to see a wave of fire coming towards me— fast. I shielded myself but it managed to knock me off my feet anyway. I fell on my back.

Kagiri lunged on top of me with a fire blade in both hands. He lifted one up before plunging down with it. I moved my head to the right, missing it by an inch.

He growled, yanking it from the sand only to throw the other one down. I dodged that one too.

He lifted both blades only to bring them both down but I caught his wrists before they could penetrate me. The blades of fire warmed near my face. They were so close to me as I battled against his strength to push him away.

Suddenly my throat heated up and I knew what was coming. "Get off of me!" I yelled just as a fire ball gushed out of my mouth, hitting him in the face.

He instantly pulled away from me and brushed the flames from his face away. None of his skin was burnt off which meant he was immune to getting burnt just like I was.

I glanced at Gareki. He had just punched Kiharu in the face before swiftly turning with his glaive pulled back and stabbed the fire wolf in the heart causing it's body to shrivel into floating dark specks.

But Kiharu recovered and sent spirals of fire at him. He shielded himself but I could tell he couldn't keep that up.

Pastel was rooted to the same spot as before. Not knowing what to do.

"Your opponent is right here!" Yelled Kagiri who gripped me by the neck and flung me to the ground.

He yanked out his blades again before hurling one down at me. I rolled away from it, regaining my footing before I threw another ball of fire at him.

He lifted his hand towards it only to absorb it and throw it back at me. It was faster and stronger as it hit the ground in front of me. I fell back once more.

His magic was definitely stronger. And knowing that Gareki only had his element of electricity to depend on while fighting Kiharu would only wind him up dead. If I didn't think of something quick then we would both die.

I grunted, pushing myself up on my elbows.

He advanced at me and I lifted my amulet already planning on killing him and Kiharu with it. But just when I was about to say the spell.

I heard Gareki cry out in pain. A blood curdling yell that sounded like he was in agony.

My eyes darted over only to see he had been burnt on his arm and he was lying on his back on the ground. Hesitating to touch it as he glowered up at Kiharu who was standing over him with his hand stretched out.

"Don't get in my way again." He warned menacingly as he turned and went over to Pastel who looked like he wanted to pass out.

But Gareki pushed himself forward and grabbed his leg only to be kicked in the face. But he didn't let go. He looked at me with a bloody nose and saw my amulet.

"What the fuck are you waiting for?! Do it! Kill them!" He got kicked again, harder. He let go of Kiharu's leg only to be grasped by his injured arm and burnt again.

I quickly turned back to my amulet, determined to cast the spell as I heard him screaming. But then Kagiri grasped it with a smirk.

"Vileus will be proud once we come to him with this." He sneered.

I stopped with shock. "What?" I muttered.

He said the words that I dreaded. "You should know now that we didn't just track down that Kiridian gem but also the royal amulet of the Sun Kingdom. It's about time you gave it up."

I couldn't move even as Gareki yelled at me to just kill them already. His arm still burning as he struggled to get free from Kiharu's grip.

My thoughts were moving fast and I didn't know why I was reacting this way. I couldn't think properly so I said the first spell that came to mind.

I gripped my amulet tighter. "Voltare intuitom es venom!" My words echoed around me and my amulet glowed right after I said them. I realized too late that the spell had only been to teleport them some where else in Dampis. I couldn't redo a spell after it had already been casted.

Both Kagiri and Kiharu were swept away into the the flashing portal and as soon as they passed it's opening it closed up.

Everything went silent after that. I moved up to my feet and briskly moved over to Gareki agonized on the ground. He held his hand over his red arm that had burnt marks. I felt panic weaving through me. But when I went to touch him he slapped my hand away and yelled at me.

"Don't fucking touch me!" He spat. Crawling away from me before getting to his feet. He breathed heavily, still holding his arm that was limp and looked broken.

"You teleported them didn't you?" He scowled at me.

I hesitated a little. "Yes, I did. But—"

"I told you to kill them! Now they're going to track us again." He snapped. Anger pulled his eyebrows together. "This is all your fault! I could've fucking died because of you!"

I walked over to him. I felt guilty. He was bleeding from his nose and had burns on his arm. He was way more injured then I was. And at the time for action I could only sit there and stare at the enemy just because of his affiliations with Vileus. I felt sick because I had put him through this.

I reached for him but he pulled away from me as if my touch would burn him. "Don't." His voice was low and shaky with warning. "I hope you're satisfied with being angry at me now because this." He pointed at his burnt arm."This is going to take a long while to heal."

I shook my head again. "You think I did this on purpose? Just because I was mad at you?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Why else?" He asked bitterly through tight fangs. "Consider your little selfish deed done. I didn't think you would go this far."

"This wasn't intentional!" I defended but he was already moving away from me. Pastel stared sadly between us before following after Gareki and as they left me standing there I smelt rain in the air.

Looking up I saw that the sun was setting and dark clouds were settling in.

* * *

I stared at Gareki who sat away from me and Pastel. He had his glaive situated on his lap as he used a rock to sharpen it's thick, long blade.

His injured arm was functional considering the spell he had casted over himself to protect him from the Sun's heat had redirected some of Kiharu's fire.

It had saved him a broken arm. Pastel had taken a look at it earlier and reported back to me saying it was definitely going to take some time to heal unless we made it to Kiridian where they had healing properties for special fire burns.

And the Fire District's fire was very special. I could tell when I fought Kagiri that he had different fire than me.

I wondered where I'd teleported them. But right now that was the least of my worries. Gareki needed me and Pastel wanted me to try and apologize to him even if he did reject me.

I deserved it and this was the only chance I got at getting answers. I got up and slowly moved over to him. He didn't look up even though my presence was obvious.

The slightly clouded moonlight shined down on us as night came. I stepped near him. Leaving enough space to call personal.

I pocketed my hands already knowing what I should say.

"I need to have a word with you."

He still didn't look up from sharpening his glaive. "What do you want?" He asked firmly, not wanting me to be near him at all right now.

"I need to apologize to you. You know what happened earlier wasn't because I was mad at you. I wouldn't even think of hurting you even if I am mad at you. Believe me when I say this. That isn't how I would treat you. That's not me at all."

I continued. "And. . .I also owe you another apology for the way I was acting towards you when you came to save me last night. I was actually made at you because I found out about something that was linked to you." I looked at him and noticed he had suddenly stopped sharpening his glaive.

He looked at me slowly and his face shown in the moonlight. "What was linked to me?" He demanded.

I sighed, deciding to come out with it without hesitation. "You know what I'm talking about. Don't play dumb," I said softly.

"If I knew what you were talking about then I wouldn't be fucking asking. Now, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the lie you told me yesterday morning."

He stood strait up in one quick motion and walked away from me but I followed. "I just need to know." I told him. He stopped and gripped tightly to his glaive before turning to me with misery on his face.

"You want to know what?!" He yelled deeply. "There isn't anything to know."

I stopped walking as well and stared at him surprised. I didn't know why he bothered to act like he didn't know what I was implying.

He made his glaive disappear before running a hand in his hair. "For Christ's sake,Yogi. You're still talking about your confession even though it happened yesterday. It's in the past!"

"Either it's in the past or not, I'm still going to have it in my head."

He looked at me angry all over again. "What the hell do you want from me?! I allowed you to be mad at me and I said sorry to you more than once. Why do you keep bringing it up?"

I crossed my arms. "Because it made me upset. But now I want to know why you lied about not loving me?" I tried to keep my voice even but a bit of force came out anyway. I was beginning to feel my own temper growing despite my restraints.

As soon as the words left my lips he froze. The sky above us grew darker as storm clouds closed in.

He didn't say anything for a long time and once he spoke I knew he wasn't denying it was true. "How did you know?"

I stepped closer to him. "I found out by seeing your treasured memory. We were kissing. It made more sense for you to love me than to care with a memory like that. That's how I knew."

The sky rumbled as a single drop of rain fell between us. It then started down pouring. But neither of us moved for shelter. We eyed each other and I took another step towards him.

The vulnerable look on his face drawing me closer until I stood right in front of him. I watched his face as the rain drizzled down his hair and face and lips. Washing the blood away.

Our clothing was soaked within seconds but we didn't seem to care.

"I knew something like that would show." He said quietly.

I lifted a hand and boldly touched his face. Placed my fingers under his jaw as I caressed my thumb over his cheek. "You need to explain why you lied to me." I whispered.

Gareki let out a breath past his lips as he closed his eyes. Rain drops cascading down his cheeks making it look like he was crying but I knew he wasn't.

"Truth is. . ." he began. "I do. I do love you." His voice shook and I found myself caressing his cheek again.

When I first found out about his lie. I couldn't wait to yell and accuse him of betrayal but now. . .seeing him like this had me rethinking everything. I wondered why he was so hesitant to say the truth to me.

"So why did you lie when I confessed to you?"

He opened his eyes and looked up at me, seriously. "Because I'm not strong like you think. You have no idea how weak I feel inside because of you. And it's all because I'm afraid of becoming something more that we can't handle. We're different. Fire and ice. How are we going to make something like a relationship work between us? Answer me that?"

I smiled at him feeling relieved. He loved me back. It was way more overwhelming just hearing him say that. "You have to have faith that things will go the way you want them to."

His lips trembled and he closed his eyes again as a pained expression pulled at his face. "I'm sorry. . .but I can't. I can't accept my love for you."

I leaned down. "Look at me."

He shook his head.

"Gareki, you need to look at me. Open your eyes."

He obliged and looked me strait in the eyes. "I'm still going to love you no matter what because that's just the person I am. I'll wait until you decide what you really want."

His eyes searched my face before reaching up and gripped the collar of my shirt before pulling me down until our lips met.

In the rain I felt the sparks flying between us as I kissed him back with just as much force he was giving me. His hands tangled in my hair as I hugged him closed to my chest.

Neither of us being bothered with the constant rain drops falling on us as we felt against each other like we were the only two people in the entire Arcial Realm.

He pulled his lips from mine. "This doesn't count as my decision. . .I just. . .really wanted to do that."

"I'm about to do it again," I said breathlessly before pulling him back to my lips.

Other than the first three kisses I had with him, I'd have to say this one was my favorite.


	37. Cold Hearts

_**Music Choice — Demi Lovato— Kingdom Come**_

* * *

I eyed the horizon in the distance. The sun huge, casting itself as a background to the large castle that came into view once Gareki, Pastel and I trekked up the hill of sand.

Once atop I lifted my arm to block away the sun's light from my eyes as I scrutinized and took in the glistening castle nine-hundred feet away from us. It was sitting on top of an inclined canyon that had been carved to hold it up above sea level that surrounded the entire building. It was the ocean.

I hadn't expected to see it in a place like this.

The castle's structure obscured in colors vibrant velvet and sheer gold marble that made it up from top to bottom. It reflected the sun with it's intimidating height as it pierced the sky with towers of onion domes.

Sentinel terraces, along with separate towers situated in front of the bridge that led across the water in order to reach the main entrance, designed the structure. From the castle was two other bridges that came from both it's left and right sides leading to two smaller castles. One of the bigger ones of the two was perched as well on an inclined canyon as it's structure was directly closer to the ocean.

And lastly surrounding the castle all together was a circular perimeter made of rock with carved windows and smaller buildings as if more then just the prince of Kiridian Empire lived here. They were homes built for the people who lived there as well.

The castle itself looked mostly like the mundane term of Russian architecture. It was a sight to behold and stare at from just how breath taking it looked sitting there.

After the long two day trip it took to get here, I was looking forward to a cold shower and water to drink from all the walking we did to reach our destination faster. Just for the sake to get Gareki's arm healed and return Pastel to where he belonged as well as to get to the Realm Gates.

And within those two days we hadn't come by any trouble with the Fire District. Either I'd teleported them farther than I thought in Dampis or they were waiting to ambush us somewhere close by. I wasn't all too worried though. Just because Gareki would be too injured to fight and I would most likely be on my own.

I could handle myself in a fight relatively well. Fifteen years of sword training, and combat taught me my resources. Even if the Fire District had the upper hand during our last meeting I could handle them.

But besides that as I watched the sun hit it's focal point on the horizon it fully dawned on me how many days I'd been in the Arcial Realm.

This was my twenty-first day. In which in the Arcial Realm every two days passing meant one had gone by back in my realm. I did the math in my head. Ten days. Ten days had gone in my realm.

Even if Vileus had the other half of my amulet he still couldn't have completed the process of transforming my kingdom into one of his hellish empires. The process would be slow.

And considering he was still sending his henchman after me then that was enough proof that said my kingdom hadn't yet turned into a hellish form. He still wanted the other half of the amulet I had in order to speed up the process. He wouldn't need it if he had already finished transforming my kingdom.

I was broken out of my thoughts as I felt a familiar cold sensation brush against my arm. I looked over only to see Gareki standing next to me as he watched Pastel flounder around like a child.

He had been away from home for years and now he was back. I would be happy too.

Gareki crossed his arms, thoughtfulness pulling his beautiful features together in a small frown.

I didn't care if that was a feminine term to go about the appearance for a guy. But it was true. To me he was completely gorgeous inside and out. Even his bad qualities that got on my nerves sometimes.

Just looking at him reminded me two nights ago we had kissed in the rain. Passionately, intensely, but yet restrictedly.

It hadn't meant anything.

What I meant by that was Gareki and I weren't labeled in a relationship. It was a kiss just between comrades who had feelings for one another but were compelled to not cross the line of being in a relationship until a decision was made. Which was weird. But I didn't care, because at least he hadn't pushed me away again and despite him not giving me an answer about being with me or not, he allowed me to continue kissing him.

It surprised me when I boldly reached for another kiss from him right on the night after the one we'd had in the rain. He hadn't pulled from me once I pressed mine against his. It was as if he wanted it. But inside him I could feel the hesitation. He was holding back. For what reason. I didn't know nor did I ask. I had a feeling he would tell me when he was ready.

Hell. I still got chills just thinking about that kiss in the rain. I felt the sparks and emotions all coursing through him. A mixture of restraint, want, and need tangling inside him. It was enough to push away the anger and betrayal I felt.

He did have his reasons for lying. He explained more to me that he was only trying to protect us both from our differences. I just wished I wouldn't have jumped to conclusions when I first found out. I needed to control my anger.

That night had been an emotional one for both of us, but we had pushed through our disputes and acted like they never happened. Only one thing had changed between us . .

I reached up and pulled off my sand deflector made from the turtle-neck hoodie before pulling him to me. Glad that his was off as well before placing my lips against his soft, cold ones.

The chill didn't bother me. In fact I welcomed it. He may have been from a world of ice but every time I kissed him his lips felt neutral. Like they had warmed to the temperature of mine.

My lips tingled with bliss as he pushed his against mine returning the gesture. I didn't know how many times I'd kissed him since that night but however many times I did, the feeling never got old.

This was the change.

He breathed a soft and short moan against my lips before pulling away from me. "Addicted much?" He asked me with a sly smirk pulling at one corner of his lips. I instinctively wanted to kiss him again just for giving me that sexy look.

I smiled turning back to Kiridian. "I did say back in Lim Fay that you had kissable lips."

"I believe you now," he said, sliding his bottom lip with a thumb.

I lifted a hand and rubbed my neck softly where the two puncture wounds from him biting me last night were still healing. "How's your arm?" I ventured. I'd tried to heal him but the Fire District's burns were done with different flames than mine.

He flexed his fingers as he examined the red skin and slightly smaller burnt marks against his limb. " It hurts like hell, but I've endured worse. "

"The tattoos?" I hinted, recalling him with his shirt off and how many black engravings I'd seen against his pale skin. And the fact that he had to practically burn himself just to mark them there.

"Exactly." A warm breeze flew at us as we both looked at Kiridian Empire, brushing the hair away from our foreheads and ruffled our clothing.

Gareki lost his smirk, suddenly his demeanor transitioning to serious. He peered out at the empty distance to his right. The point of his ear that was facing me twitched.

He tensed slightly.

"What's wrong?" I asked, turning serious too.

He didn't answer me right away. He shook his head. "I thought I heard something."

I sighed. Of course with the Fire District being on the loose in Dampis we never knew how close they were to us. We were always left on guard. "We should go," I said. "We're out in the open. Chances are if there is any threats around they'll spot us."

He followed me down the slope of the hill and all three of us carried on the rest of the way to Kiridian.

His shoulders never loosened. Just by looking at the muscles on his arms I could tell he was still on high alert. I could understand. He didn't like fire especially from what happened last time the District had fought us.

I looked away from him. I still couldn't believe I'd just frozen up at the confession of Kagiri and Kiharu working with Vileus. What the hell had happened to me.

It wasn't surprising that henchmen were being sent to assassinate me and steal the other half of my amulet.

I guess I just felt overwhelmed at that moment. And for my sake it had been stupid of me. Because it had nearly cost Gareki's life.

As if Gareki were reading my mind he asked," Why did you freeze up when Kagiri was talking to you? Did he say something to you while Kiharu was burning me?"

I looked down as I walked. "It turns out he along with Kiharu are affiliated with Vileus."

He pushed his brows together. "Which means they want your amulet." He sounded austere.

I nodded. "I regret not getting rid of them when I had a chance. I'm sorry for not doing what you wanted."

"Hey, my arm'll be fine. We need to focus on getting them back for what they did to me."

I breezed my hand against his and tasted revenge. Bitter sweet with excitement. "I'm already thinking about it. They'll pay for ever coming after me and Pastel and hurting you." My voice was edgy.

"I hope you two aren't planning to make another scene at the entrance," said Pastel, breaking our serious conversation while looking back at us. "We are nearing the castle where two guard towers are. They'll stop us for confirmations."

Gareki eyed me sideways accusingly. "Let's hope you won't grab your sword this time."

I remembered Eva's castle when we'd first arrived and I'd jumped to conclusions before the guards had even laid a finger on us. "This time I'll observe before doing." I agreed.

Satisfied he turned away from me only to glare out into the distance where the sun was.

The light dancing off the iris of his eyes causing the black slits in them to dilate."After we leave Kiridian we need to find a ship dock. We can't cross the ocean without a boat."

Pastel turned to him. "A ship dock? Kiridian has one for the shipping and trading of goods and medicine. But it's organized by Nai. You'll have to have a word of permission to hitch a ride to Maharii Sylus."

"Perfect," Gareki said. "That can be arranged."

A wave of excitement and anxiety waved through my chest at the mere thought of being closer to home and seeing what kind of state it was in since my absence. Reuniting with my sisters was like a long lasted dream that would finally come true.

I looked up and noticed how close we were to the bridge that crossed the ocean to the big gates of the castle. The castle itself was bigger once we were closer. I had to crane my head up just to see the onion domed towers protruding from the roof and perimeter.

As we walked closer Gareki stopped. Paused while eyeing the castle skeptically.

I stopped as well just as Pastel followed my lead. "What's wrong—?"

"Do you smell that?" He took a step forward, eyeing me with a pull of his eyebrows as his nose scrunched up.

I sniffed but didn't catch a hint of what he was referring.

He shook his head. I assumed he realized that I didn't have an acute nose like his. "Ashes." He muttered to himself or to me— I wasn't sure.

He slowly glared at me "It reeks. Burning my nose. I know where it's coming from."

My face hallowed into surprise. Did he think it was me. It might of been but I just couldn't smell it. But all this time he'd been close to me and hadn't bothered to fuss about it then. Why now.

"Gareki—?" I started but stopped once his glaive appeared in his hand with blue sparks. He held it up before flinging it down at me. "Move!" He snapped.

I jumped to the ground only to see his blade break through an invisible force filled that dissolved into a figure on fire who punched away his weapon only to throw flames at him.

Gareki lifted his good arm and spread his hand wide, forming a thick ice shield. The fire ball connected and a sickening sound of the ice cracking echoed through the silence before blowing it apart.

Gareki misstepped and rolled before catching his footing again. He squared up to the flaming figure with his glaive held out.

I grabbed Pastel and stood by his side before dropping him behind me as I pulled out my sword that swarmed with flames at my touch. "Who are you?!" I demanded to the figure.

A cynical laugh blurted out behind us sounding like a voice we all knew. We all turned only to see Kiharu revealing himself from an invisible force filled.

The flaming figuring in front of us laughed next before slowly clapping as his body materialized back into a skin tight suit and a familiar face. Kagiri took a few steps closer to us.

"Well it appears the Avatar isn't as useless as we initially thought, Kiharu. He's still alive and breathing despite that mad burn you gave him."

"I hate it when my victims still stand," Kiharu admitted. "But lucky for me we can finish him since he's in the way of our real targets."

"Kiss my ass!" Gareki spat. "You're not coming near me unless you want this large blade of mine in your throats!" He continued to hold his weapon out.

Kagiri laughed again before forming two fire blades one in each hand. "Alright I will."

"We're getting our hands on that Kiridian Gem and that amulet so don't attempt to teleport us again." Kiharu lunged for me but I blocked his fist with my hand.

Gareki blurted out fast instructions to me before darting for Kagiri. "You need to guard Pastel while fighting him. Kagiri's mine."

He moved swiftly and effortlessly as Kagiri swung down one of his blades. He averted his body to the side before swinging his glaive.

Kagiri ducked and attempted to cut Gareki's leg but he jumped away and swung his arm once he faced him. A stream of electricity hit Kagiri right on his back, pushing him to the ground.

Kagiri growled before forcing himself to stand again and went after Gareki, blades raised.

I faced my own fight, pushing away Kiharu's fist I pulled my sword back before thrusting it forward to stab him but he backed up in time with my movements, dodging swiftly with each swing.

He caught me off guard with a heated uppercut to my jaw. My teeth ached as I stumbled back, catching myself strait again before swinging again.

He smirked before spinning inches away from my blade. Once he was cleared he threw darts of fire at me.

Pastel and I were in range. I promptly sheathed my sword and grabbed him before rolling out of the path of fire darts sinking into the sand.

I breathed heavily before comforting Pastel that things would be fine as long as he stayed out of my way. Letting go of him I felt a strong grip grab me by the back of my shirt and fling my body hard to the ground.

I choked on air as the world spun for a second; grateful that the sand had worked to break the hard impact against my back.

I felt my amulet maneuver against my neck as Kiharu grasped it. I instantly snapped my hand up and gripped tightly to his wrist.

I snatched it from him before lifting it to his face and flashed a bright ray of sunlight in his eyes.

He jerked back, rubbing them as he cursed that he couldn't see.

I staggered to my feet before jerking my hands to ignite flames. "I'm not happy you're back and I'm also not happy that you want to take and kill what's important to me!" I set my hands together making the fire ball bigger before propelling it at him.

He flew a few feet away as it impacted him on the chest and I ran right after him to make sure he wouldn't get up again.

My fire element wouldn't hurt him since his skin was resistant to getting burned. The only thing I could do was push him around with it.

I glared down at him once I stepped near him. I grabbed my amulet and faced it towards him. "You want my amulet so bad? Well you can have it. Von zelip!"

I casted a sunburst spell that made hovering balls of energy from the sun fly down at him.

He pushed himself to his feet in an attempt to avoid them but they followed.

He ran away from them before turning and threw a wave of flames at them. They exploded on que.

I squinted as a wind of sand breezed against my face. Blocking my view of him.

My eyes darted over the sandy mist, trying to hurry and find him. I listened carefully and blocked out the sound of Gareki's fight.

"We need to find him." Pastel chided behind me hastily.

"I know," I said gruffly. The sand began to clear gradually and just when I thought my opponent might be behind me he burst out of the cloud of sand with a machete blade of fire.

He was quick as he flung it upwards. I backed up, missing the sharp tip that almost sliced into my chin. But he had nicked off a long slit in my shirt, leaving it open to reveal the white shirt I had underneath.

That had been close. Way too close. I whipped out my sword and my blade met up with his as he flung his machete downwards at me.

I lifted my sword up, supporting it with both hands as his blade pushed down on mine. His force weighed me down.

Medal against medal scrapped loudly against each other.

I grit my teeth before summoning my strength and shoved him before striking him in the gut.

Blood spluttered on my cheek at the abrupt incision. I kept it inside him as he paused. A pained expression marred him.

In one quick motion he lifted his hand and slapped me across the face with such a force I felt myself whirling through the air and practically slam to the ground.

I couldn't feel the right side of my face. The only thing I immediately felt apon opening my eyes was blood in my mouth.

My face stood inches from the ground while I laid on my front side, elbows holding me up as I spat blood and saliva from my lips, coughing.

"Get up!" Pastel hissed in my ear.

I looked up at him. "Get away, Pastel. It's too dangerous for you to be near me."

As soon as I said that I heard a whoosh behind me and felt the air growing warm at my neck. I gripped my amulet before whirling onto my back and lifted it just in time as a hurl of flames burst towards me.

I gripped it tighter as they came closer. A clear shield formed in front of me and the fire came onto it strongly.

I rocked backwards, falling on the ground but I forced my way back up into a kneel and held my arm strait out to meet my strength with the force of the fire.

My jaw clenched as I glared at the huge inferno spreading right in front of me. I felt the searing heat against my face and sweat dotted my forehead.

My outstretched arm shook with the force of Kiharu's blast. I could feel my hair fluttering away from my face from the hot wind blowing against my body.

I couldn't let him win.

My fingers clenched my amulet that was now glowing golden. My index felt over a small crack but I was too engrossed in fending off the flames to pay attention to it.

The flames hit my amulet more forcefully. And to my shock the shield I'd casted shattered and the fire full on hit against my amulet.

I felt my chest spasm as a loud crack broke through my ears. Louder than anything else. My eyes widened as metallic shards of my amulet splattered to the ground right before me.

I choked on air as heat rushed to my face and tears slipped from my eyes and down my jaw in long streaks. Something inside me broke and I couldn't breathe.

My eyes weren't deceiving me no matter how much I wanted them to.

I fell to my hands and knees as the blast of fire stopped shooting. I didn't acknowledge Kiharu's feet stepping in front of me as I could only look at my broken amulet.

Say it wasn't true. I wish I'd been dreaming. But reality was like a cold slap to my face.

I couldn't stop the tears from flowing and my shoulders shook as emotions hit me.

Anger and sadness mingling. But I could do nothing. My body had frozen. The only key to restoring my kingdom. . . gone.

He won despite me not wanting him to.

"What are you doing?!" Pastel yelled at me. "Get up!"

"No! It's over!" I wanted to curl up in the fetal position and cry my frustrations away. There was no point in fighting any more.

Pastel saw the broken shards and shared a sad look with me. "I know you must be horrified but, Nai— Nai can fix this."

I shook my head not believing a word. This was a magical amulet not just ordinary jewelry.

Pastel looked up and saw Kiharu lifting his machete reading to stab Yogi. "It sucks ass that the amulet's broken. And it's all your fault for making me break it. Now what the hell are we going to tell Vileus?! The only effort we can show him is by murdering you!" He barked before jabbing downward.

"Yogi!" Gareki yelled as he flung the butt of his glaive into Kagiri's stomach. He then lifted his arm and threw a bolt at Kiharu who stumbled away from me, missing his chance to end my life.

Kiharu and Kagiri recovered before facing him menacingly.

"End him!" Kagiri yelled. Both their hands surged with flames and they aimed right at me.

Pastel yelled at me to move. But I stayed and cried, scooping up the pieces of my amulet and placed them in my pocket.

I felt the heat of fire coming at me and I closed my eyes waiting for everything to turn bleak.

But darkness hadn't come.

Opening my eyes I saw Gareki standing with his back facing me as he shielded off the strong current of flames flowing in our direction.

I couldn't think neither react. I only watched as he pushed with all his might to keep the flames away. His heels digging deep into the sand as he was slowly pushed back.

"Dammit,Yogi!" He yelled, turning to me. "Get up! This is not the time to feel sorry for yourself."

"Yes it is, Gareki!" I snapped, tears burning down my cheeks. "You have no idea how important this was to me! It's gone! My kingdom! My family! Everything!"

He grit his teeth, It was taking him a lot of effort to keep his ice magic up against the flames.

"How can you say that?!" He spat back at me. "I understand you more than anyone! And what you think you've lost is just a lie. You haven't lost anything!"

I threw my hand into my pocket and thrust the pieces of the broken amulet sitting in my palm to him so he could see. "It's gone!" I cried, my voice cracking. "What I've fought for is gone. All for nothing—and I made it this far! Don't you fucking get it. It was a lost cause, everything was."

He clenched his teeth tightly and from where I sat I could see the sharpness of his fangs as his eyes glowed brightly. "So you're just going to give up, huh? It that it?!He growled." You don't fucking give up, Yogi! You keep pushing until you meet your goal. You taught me that. Don't go back on your word. Now move so I can stop holding this shield up!"

I pressed my lips as I put the shards back into my pocket. I didn't know what to do. Could I really keep going without the key to save everything I'd been chasing after up till this point. "Gareki. . .I—"

Suddenly a rush of fire smashed away his shield and I watched in horror as it burned him, pushing him through the air until he collided with the ground. Everything happened quickly, way too quickly and once again I couldn't react in time.

My lips trembled as I watched the once pale skin of his arms burnt black and bloody. His face was pelted with burns and his clothes were ruined with black markings. The fabric revealing bruises on his bare red chest that was also bleeding.

My voice lodged itself within my throat as my tears streamed heavily. When my voice finally found itself it came out croaked and rugged with a scream I'd never heard myself do before. "Gareki!"

I ran and sank to my knees before him. My hands shaking over his still body. He wasn't moving.

Why wasn't he moving. He would get back up. He always got back up.

My heart throbbed in my chest from panic gripping at me. I felt his heart. Big mistake. I jerked my hand away and shook violently.

This was my fault. If only I'd just moved when he told me to.

"Oh my God!" I cried. My entire face wet with tears and sweat. "No! Please." I begged, gripping at what was left of his clothes as I rested my forehead against his abdomen.

I couldn't feel him. No sense of his magic or an emotion. It was blank and disconnected and that scared the hell out of me.

I felt sick as my breath caught in my throat from realization that he was dead.

I didn't want to believe it. "Noo!" I screamed at the sky. "Please don't take him from me please God, no!" I whined pleadingly.

My fingers felt the fabric of his jumpsuit before gripping it. He wasn't dead. I wouldn't believe that.

I gripped the handle of my sword and pointed it right at Kagiri and Kiharu who had just thrown Pastel to the ground. The collar holding his Kiridian Gem in Kiharu's hand.

"You did this! I'm going to kill you!" Anger and angst melted away my sadness and fear.

In the distance I heard the sound of running feet and metal clapping. I looked to see sentinels running at us with swords out.

"The Kiridian Gem is ours." Kagiri smirked. "Your amulet is broken but don't get comfortable because this isn't the last you'll see of us. We're coming back to kill you. Just be lucky you got saved by the guards."

I watched as they materialized into black dust. As soon as they left my hand shook with the sword. I broke down and sank to my knees, staring strait ahead as my mouth hung open.

Two important thing were stolen from me. My kingdom and the person I loved. Both were my fault.

I looked down at my sword and slowly lifted it to my neck. My hand shook as I dared to allow what my brain wanted.

I closed my eyes just as Pastel yelled at me to stop. I snatched away my sword and sheathed it. I couldn't commit suicide. Gareki hadn't wanted me to give up and I wouldn't give up on him or my kingdom.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Pastel. I couldn't stop them from taking your gem." My voice shook.

"It's fine." He assured. "There are two others in the castle belonging to the crowns of the King and Queen. The Fire District will have to steal those as well to take over this whole valley."

He looked down at Gareki and his green eyes widened. "Oh no. . .is he?"

I felt hot tears well in my eyes. Clenching my jaw I closed my them and looked down. "They won't get away with this, mark my words. I'll kill them." I opened my eyes and allowed the tears to fall as I glared dangerously at the spot they'd been standing in.

* * *

 _ **Kiridian Empire:**_

Five minutes they'd granted me.

I felt numb as I sat in a chair in the healing chamber bed room Gareki had been placed in.

That wasn't enough time. Not enough time to tell him how sorry and how at fault I felt for this.

I grasped his warm black and red fingers. They shouldn't have been warm. I looked at his body that was hooked up to so many cords and machines I'd never seen before.

Of course when the guards had caught up with me back in the desert I briefly explained who I was and that I wasn't a threat to them and that they needed to heal Gareki. I didn't care what it took.

They had all given me that knowing look as they gave one glance at Gareki's condition and I saw remorse.

They were practically telling me he was dead just by looking at me. I told them to heal him anyway, at least try.

They had taken us to the castle where they immediately got healers to hook his body up to the cold temperatures that an Avatarian was supposed to be. It was a bad sign that he was warm.

They had taken Pastel to Nai and I hadn't seen him since we'd got here which had been an hour ago.

I wiped a stray tear away but it came back as I Intertwined my fingers with his.

I ignored the fact that I still couldn't feel a pulse. Or his magic.

I almost had him. I'd just figured out he loved me back and now. . .

I couldn't finish the thought. We were connected in a way that no one else could ever imagine. If he died then a piece of me died too.

I lifted his hand to my lips and placed a long kiss on his knuckles.

"I'm sorry." I whispered harshly. "You have no idea how sorry I am."

His silence ate away at me. I swallowed a lump in my throat and continued.

"I can't live without you." I placed my fingers between his. "We're linked. You can't break that bond by leaving me. We're solid like rock and stuck together. You mean the world to me so don't leave me."

I watched his face and placed his hand against my cheek.

He was listening to me.

I remembered him telling me the cycle of an Avatarian death. His mind was still living but his body wasn't able to move. He couldn't speak either.

"I love you."

The door behind me opened to reveal one of the female healers. "I'm sorry to interrupt but the other healers and I need to perform surgery. I'll have to ask you to leave."

As much as I wanted to stay there I knew this was for the best. I pushed myself up and took a single step closer to Gareki's bed. I pulled the covers up over his naked body. Respecting his privacy in lower regions.

I dropped the covers over his chest before moving past the group of healers only to be met with a guard. His uniform consisting of a long red coat with golden badges and black slacks, and boots. A sword at his side.

He looked young in his twenties.

His arms folded behind his back as he gave me a nod." Prince Yogi of the Sun Kingdom my name is Rowen. I'm assigned to accompany you to Prince Nai who would like a word with you."

I hadn't met him yet. I nodded and followed him down the long red painted hall with treasured paintings and vases. And beautiful interior decorations.

We made our way down the grand stair well that opened up to a white marble flooring in a large open room leading all the way to the main entrance where large pillars stood beside each other on either side.

Two other hallways were available on each side of the spacious room.

Golden chandeliers. White panted walls with carved designs. Rich glass artifacts all made up the castle of Kiridian.

I thought the outside was huge and perfect but the inside was even more so. So spotless and delicate.

I followed Rowen down another hall and we stopped at two black doors. He opened one for me and stepped aside as I walked in.

What my eyes met were pedestals all situated underneath golden curtains that hung from the sealing in a royal blue room. A marble path led between the rows, stopping to the far wall where a deep red love couch sat with a teenage boy around my age placed himself with Pastel sitting in his lap.

He wore a velvet Vladimir tail coat with golden studs sewn to the collar, black slim pants with ankle black boots and a white button up.

He looked up once Rowen closed the door behind me, stepping in.

"I've brought him, your majesty."

I eyed the boy in front of me. He was handsome just like Gareki was when I'd first seen him. His albino hair was trimmed to an undercut leaving the strands low while the top of his hair grew long over one of his red eyes with purple ends.

"So this is him." He sounded and looked intrigued. His fingers caressed Pastels ear affectionately. I could tell he was happy that his familiar was back home.

"Pastel here has told me so much about you." His voice was soft but yet deep with boldness. "And your ordeal. For that I am truly sorry. But in exchange for rescuing him I shall do what I can to resurrect your guardian link with the tools I have. But you should know, his condition is highly critical. Chances are he might not make it."

My legs turned into water and I braced myself against the wall. I tried hard to keep myself together. Taking in heavy breaths. "Thank you for your time." I choked out.

"Yogi." Pastel added. I looked at him. "You need to be strong for him."

I swallowed hard with a small shake of my head. "You have no idea how much I'm trying to."

"I too have lost people I treasure," said Nai. "My mother and father died trying to protect the gems of Kiridian. One has been stolen from Pastel by the fire district and I do not blame you for it. They have killed many with their sorcery. Which is because my kingdom cannot use magic to protect themselves. We don't have that ability. But you do." He looked at me intensely after saying that.

He stood up with Pastel in his arms and walked over to a much bigger pedestal. He pulled on a rope and the curtain moved up revealing two crowns in all their magnificence. Similar red gems from Pastel's collar were carved into their centers.

Nai turned to me. "These are the Kiridian Gems I've been protecting. But a few days ago I've received word that the Fire District is near our borders. They haven't tried anything in the last past year. But I sense a storm is brewing between us. I can feel them coming and I know their plan."

"What is it?" I asked.

"A day from now is my birthday and they think I'm going to be occupied with my party so they'll try and steal the crowns away. But I've planed to reschedule my party the night after while on the actual date of my birth I'll set up guards along with you to ward them off and away from my kingdom. If you do this for me I can fix your amulet before my plan commences and offer you a ship to Maharii Sylus four days from now."

"Why four day?"

"Because that's when the next shipment of goods is made." Rowen spoke up.

"You're the only person who wields magical abilities in this castle besides Pastel," Nai said. "I need your help. This is a duty my parents trusted me with at their funerals."

I thought about his offer. I pocketed out the remains of my amulet. " Can you really fix this?" My voice was serious.

He took it from me and examined it. "It's really broken up and I understand that it's magical. I believe I can fix this by the day of my birthday."

I sighed. I had five days here judging by his plan arrangements. On the third day my amulet would be fixed. On the fourth day I would need to stay here and attend his party until the fifth day where the ship will hitch me to Maharii Sylus. There was a chance I could still save my kingdom if everything played out well. But one thing bothered me.

"You understand, Pastel that I can't leave here without Gareki." My eyes found his green ones.

Pastel exchanged a worried look at Nai before looking back at me. "Yogi, You need to grasp the fact that Gareki might not make it this time. And if he doesn't. . ."

"I'll have to carryout saving my kingdom alone," I finished.

He nodded. "I'm sorry."

My voice was deep and stern. "You shouldn't be sorry. I should. Everything happened because of me. I deserve this." I turned to Nai. "I'll follow through with your plan."

He smiled, the one eye that wasn't hidden from his hair crinkled. "Good. As for now Rowen will show you to your sleeping quarters placed next to Gareki's room and give you a change of clothing. Dinner will be served later on at seven."


	38. Now Or Never

The Ice Castle

Larisa didn't need to see the end of the vision to know what happened next.

That Outsider was at fault.

Her hands shook with anger and shock. A raging scream left her throat as the images of her son lying dead in a desert of some location flashed in her brain.

Tears of sadness and anger left her blazing eyes as they glowed a bright blue. She wiped them away with a fierce hand before grasping her goblet of blood and threw it to the ice floor.

Glass spreading at her bare feet. She ignored the pain as a few minuscule pieces scraped against her toes.

Her hands were covered in blood from what had been spilt from the broken glass.

It wasn't only the Outsider's fault. She blamed herself for not sending a treaty to retrieve her son sooner like she'd initially planned. Now she had to live with another member of her family being deceased. And this was the last.

There was no going back.

The decision was decided. Gareki, prince of the Western Citadel Ice Kingdom would return home. . .but for a much different purpose. A memorial was in order.

She pressed her fangs tightly before rounding on her heels in the empty throne room, her dress moving around her legs. A source— a clue. Something to track down her son's where abouts. Or. . .someone.

It clicked to her and an idea came to mind. "Guards!"

Her voice echoed around the room. The double doors opened and two men in royal blue armored suits stood waiting for a command.

"Bring me Avia and Seth, along with your best tracking men."

They bowed and headed away. A moment later Avia and Seth walked in with a group of trackers behind them.

Larisa eyed them. Avia and Seth for the past couple days had been working endlessly at their new stations inside the castle which proved a great deal to her. Hard workers deserved rewards and chances . She'd been considering the thought of redeeming them back to their original jobs as the commander of the guards and the weapon's smith.

"You wanted to see us, your majesty," Seth asked as he and his sister kneeled before her.

Larisa stepped down the stairs, the long train of her silver Satan dress trailing after her. "I do and I have some bad news along with a job I want you both to uphold in order to redeem your trust with me."

Hearing this caught both of them off guard. "Excuse us?" Avia looked up.

"You heard me, Avia. I won't repeat myself."

"Sorry, ma' lady." She fumbled wanting to say more but Seth gave her a side ways warning glare, already sensing her intentions.

She turned her attention back to their Queen. "You may continue."

Larisa stopped in front of them. Placing her arms at her sides, she turned her face stony as the next words passed her lips. "As you may know and as some of you may not know. I've been having visions of my son, your prince. And I've just received images of his death. I can no longer invision him as he is locked within his mind for the stages of death."

Everyone in the room except Larisa looked stricken.

Avia's blue eyes scanned her Queen's face and she could tell it was the truth. She tensed. Gareki— their prince was dead. She found it hard to believe considering he was strong willed at everything. Had she underestimated her prince.

"How?" Seth's silvery eyes gave her a grave look through the strands of his white hair. Voice heavy and rugged.

Avia nudged him in the rib with her black-tribal-tattooed arm for his bluntness.

Larisa didn't seem to mind the question but Avia knew she was cold and aching while answering. Her steal blue eyes found hers watching directly and she faltered at the intensity as she spoke. "The Outsider." She gritted out.

Avia felt her tail curl at the end as chills went down her spine from the news. She shook her head, not being able to hold her tongue even when her brother gave her another warning glance.

"Yogi?" She stood to her full height, lips parting as a slow breath passed through. "He wouldn't do that." Shoulders tensed defensively.

Larisa closed her eyes and pulled her lips into a seething scowl. "I saw everything. He was there and it was his fault my son is dying as we speak! He was trying to protect that human but it cost him his life!"

Avia frowned, feeling the guilt for speaking out of turn and the shocker that Yogi would do something like this. Gareki had been protecting him before he died which means Yogi hadn't killed him intentionally. There had to be an accident. She couldn't believe Yogi was a killer. Especially to Gareki.

Without another word she kneeled back down besides Seth.

"What's your order?" He asked, all serious and strait to the point. He respected Gareki but didn't trust Yogi one bit and if his Queen was going to say what he predicted then he would instantly except the mission.

"First of all," she began. "I post you both back to your initial jobs of this castle. Commander and weapon's smith, but in return you all are assigned to track down any creature, fairy, wisp, or beast in the Luminesce Forest who had last been with or had seen my son after he left the castle and bring them here with his where abouts. I'll give you six days to come back here with that said person or creature."

They all nodded.

Larisa turned her back to them before continuing. "Once you come back, Seth and Avia I'll send you off to that destination and retrieve my son and most importantly kill the Outsider who is at fault for my son's death."

The next day had come. But definitely not quick enough. I'd been too worried and anxious and numb to sleep in my own bedroom given by Nai.

I hadn't slept at all last night and now it was my second day being in Kiridian. I felt the needle like sensation of fatigue under my eyes as I looked out the window where I sat near Gareki's bed—watching him all night.

Last night I'd eaten, showered, and hydrated myself with plenty of water. Enough energy to keep me up along with my guilty emotions.

I hadn't gotten over the fact that all this was my fault. The reason for him lying in this bed now. Dead but still alive.

I leaned side ways and pushed the small window open to get some fresh air in hopes to wake myself up. I was greeted with the smell of the ocean and the loud crashes of waves slamming against the canyon supporting the weight of the castle above the water.

I rubbed my eyes clean of dried tears before pressing my fingers in my hair, pushing the curls back as a steady cool breeze brushed against my face.

I listened to the steady beeping of the machines hooked to Gareki's body as I eyed the homes made out of the canyon walls situated right across from me with a long space of ocean dividing us. And I could see the bridge intersecting from the castle to the borders of the wall.

It made me wonder why the Fire District would want to rule over a place like this. This kingdom was peaceful.

But those who were born with bad intentions could never change for the good. They were just like Vileus.

Evil despite all else.

I looked away from the outside world and returned my sights back onto Gareki. The healers had rubbed some sort of orange cream on his burns after doing surgery on him.

One of them had elaborated what they'd done to him and all they did was redeem his skin by removing most of the burns so new skin cells could regrow. Apparently an Avatarian's skin during the death cycle was fragile so it grew stronger in order to protect the body as it grew warmer.

That's how their bodies decayed and just hearing her say that made my heart sink. I tried not to think of his death being real. And the surgery being a waste of time. Since he was dead then there wasn't any point in trying to rehabilitate his skin and body temperature. I knew the healers had thought about that just by looking them in the eyes.

I still wanted Nai to hold up his end of our deal and that was to do what ever it took to heal Gareki in hopes he would come back. I didn't care if the surgery seemed pointless.

For obvious reasons because I didn't want him to leave me. Over the past few days we'd been together I'd found myself helplessly attracted to his mind and body. Even the feel of his magical pulse. Although it had been a few days since I'd last felt the pulsing of his magic I still considered it something I found alluring about him.

The way he spoke, walked, looked at me, fought. I realized that nothing could possibly change the way I felt about him.

Everything about him was just screaming sexy and captivating.

As I sat there I couldn't help but to think what his body would feel like underneath me. How he would react to every seductive touch or caress I gave him. How he would moan just from the sensation of it. I wanted to hear it loud and clear.

To see his expressions mingling with both pleasure and pain as he reached his climax. Begging for it to come. Seeing that would truly be an erotic sight. He normally looked serious but seeing his expression weaken into vulnerable made me all the more want him. Need him. Such a turn on.

I wondered if he had any experience with this type of thing. I wouldn't be surprised if he did. Before he'd met me he probably had lovers in his bed all the time.

That thought made the gradual smile on my lips sag back down into a thin line. A wave of jealously slapped me in the face.

Within the days we'd been together I'd grown exceptionally territorial over him. Just the thought of him in bed with someone bothered the hell out of me.

I was used to things being mine. It was extremely that way for the person I loved. Gareki was mine and I wouldn't allow someone else to have him. Even though I hadn't yet made my mark on him.

I leaned forward and softly roamed my knuckles against his cheek. He looked like he was sleeping peacefully with all the burns absent from his skin. There were only red bruises left which the healers could only wait for results of them disappearing by the cream.

I sighed, grabbing hold of his hand where our our fingers twisted. His were still warm.

"How are you doing, this morning?" My voice was heavy and crooked. I'd been crying all night.

I listened to the wind as an answer. I constantly told myself he could hear me and that my voice wasn't going on unheard ears.

"We made it to Kiridian just like we wanted. You're getting all the help you can get. You're not going to die on my watch. You'll get up like you always do."

More silence filled the room. I wondered when I would hear his voice again. I wished he could speak to me. I wished most of all that he wasn't in this predicament, neither was I.

I hated being useless. Not being able to do something for him while he was like this. The healers gave me strict instructions not to do anything to him while I stayed at his bedside.

I was sure touching him was fine. And if it wasn't they sure as hell weren't going to get me to quit. My eyes scanned his face, his long dark lashes.

I then looked at his lips. Wanting so many things from them.

I guess I could say I was grateful for Nai making the deal with me to fight against the fire district in return of fixing my amulet and offering a boat to my next destination.

I could get my revenge on both Kagiri and Kiharu. I couldn't wait till tomorrow night. I wouldn't lose this time.

"I'm going to avenge you." I told Gareki, determined. "They won't even see what's coming. Their blood won't go unmarked by my blade."

I felt the back of his hand by the caress of my thumb.

Their blood.

My blood. . .

A thrill surged through me and I jerked to my feet and briskly walked over to the tray of sharp surgery utensils one of the healers had accidentally left behind. They were clean and shown brightly with the sun's reflective light by the open window.

I paused in front of them. Eyeing every single one until I came to what I'd been looking for. I picked up the small scalpel and brought up my left arm and without hesitation I made a small but big enough incision for blood to trickle out on the inner part of my forearm. A horizontal red line bled freely downwards.

I laid the scalpel back down and went over to Gareki's face. Lifting my bleeding arm so it was above his mouth I parted his lips open and allowed my blood drops to fall on his tongue. Some droplets dripped onto his sharp fangs.

I counted the drops that fell. Ten. And pulled away before finding bandages and ointment to wrap my wound with.

I didn't know if giving him blood would bring him back our not but I was desperate to see him back on his feet. And this was just in case the healer's surgery didn't work out.

I carefully tilted his head to make him swallow before laying him back against his pillow.

I brushed strands away from his forehead and laid my palm against his cheek. "Remember, you can't leave me."

There was a knock at the door before it pushed open. I turned to see Rowen. "Yogi. Walk with me." It wasn't a question. Seeing as though I was in Nai's castle I didn't have a right to refuse.

Reluctantly I looked back at Gareki. "I'll be right back. Promise." I stood up and pulled the hem of my shirt down before moving towards Rowen. He moved aside so I could move out of the room before shutting Gareki's door behind us.

He eyed me up and down for my attire.

He'd given me a change of his clothing which consisted of a black, long sleeve T- shirt that framed my broad shoulders and toned chest. Skinny jeans that were a faded sky blue and black Dr. Martens.

"Good we have the same size." He claimed before turning away and began walking down the long hall. I gave one last glance at Gareki's door before following.

"Tell me where I'm going?" There was an edge of resentment in my voice. I didn't want to leave Gareki and Rowen knew this. It irked me that he would disturb such an important time between us.

He half turned to look back at me. "I'm sorry I had to interrupted but what you're about to face tomorrow night is more important—if you don't want to whine up dead that is. You need quick training."

"You're not forgiven. I already know how to fight." I crossed my arms.

"Do you now," he asked slyly making me even more annoyed. "What would you rate yourself if you were launched into a fight now? One to ten."

"A solid nine." I replied quickly. "Why would yo—"

"So you're confident?" He chastised.

"In fighting? Mostly."

"How good is your guard? One to ten?"

"The same as before. Nine."

He smirked now. "Hm. So you would think."

I found that insulting especially since he hadn't even seen me on guard before. It was like judging a book by it's cover. "Rowen, you shouldn't —"

Before I knew what was happening he swiftly pulled out his sword and swung it at me. I stepped back a second too slow and got a clean cut on my cheek as it passed me.

I froze.

He sheathed his sword with a soft click." That is not guarding."

I heaved a sigh with a hand on my hip, looking away. I couldn't come up with a quick enough excuse.

"Let's go." He turned on his heel, leading the way down a stair well different from the main ones.

"Where are we going?" I asked again, walking fast just to keep up with him. He hadn't given me a satisfying answer.

"Training court yard." He answered leaving the stairs only to walk on the platform leading to a set of black doors. He gripped the two golden handles before yanking them open revealing a spacious square marble platform underneath four pillars holding up the solid roof. We were outside overlooking a long drop to the ocean right in front of the training court.

I could hear the waves crashing against the side of the canyon much louder from here. We walked out and I took a cautious look over the edge and for sure I was greeted with a long drop down. Wind pushed my hair.

"Let's get started. The sooner we do the sooner you can get back to your comrade. I can see you two being close." He handed me a sword and I took it.

"What are you insinuating?" I checked the blade for sharpening.

He lifted an eyebrow. "I overheard what Pastel was telling prince Nai. From what I've heard and how you care so much about him it's obvious that there's something more then companionship between you two."

I shrugged, not at all feeling like talking about my relationship with Gareki with him right now. "Okay. So you figured us out. I love him and he loves me. What else did you hear?" I sounded aggravated.

Rowen gave me a once over seeming to debate about something in his mind. "You're a guardian."

"That was blunt. Yeah, I am. Descendant of Ashanova and Ivy."

"Gareki is too?" He looked interested and surprised.

My shoulders sunk at the notion of me loosing my guardian link with Gareki since he was dead. I shook my head not wanting to talk about me anymore.

He chuckled a bit, wiping his mouth. "I'm standing right in front of a guardian and another is lying in the chambers of the castle. I never thought this would happen. What an honor. And since you're a guardian you have two elements, right?"

Dismissively I responded,"Fire and sunlight." I took of the sheath of the sword.

"Amazing, that you're not even from the Fire District and you have that element. I'll train with you in order to see that. What elements do Gareki have?"

I threw the sheath to the ground. "Rowen—" I started with a warning tone.

"Just answer the question. I'm only curious," he said innocently enough. Sighing I answered," Ice and electricity."

His eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Wow. First Avatarian I've heard of to ever become a guardian, as well as crossing the desert. What are you planning on doing if he doesn't come back to lif—"

"What training are we doing." I interrupted roughly. The conversation had taken a turn for the worse and I was done speaking about Gareki.

He must've realized my discomfort with the topic because he hadn't asked me anything about Gareki our myself after that change of conversation.

"Can we just get started?" I asked.

His expression transitioned to serious. "You're right. I'm sorry."

0+0+0+0+0+0+

"So you mean to tell me that this castle is all derived from a Kiridian Gem?" I asked as I watched Rowen reattach our swords to the weapon holster against the wall.

He brushed a few curls of brunette hair away from his pale amber eyes before turning to look at me. "That's right. All this castle is made from the Kiridian Gems' magic. Which is why it's so important to keep them from the wrong hands."

I rounded my shoulders to loosen the ache before walking over to my shirt sprawled against the balcony. I'd taken it off because of the hard training Rowen had just put through.

I was sweating like a pig and every muscle was tense. But I would be lying if I'd said that the training hadn't been exhilarating.

Maybe it hadn't been such a bad idea to get away from Gareki. It was wrong of me to just be lingering near him twenty-four\seven and be depressed. I needed a new change of pace and room to breathe.

Of course I wouldn't be able to forget I was at fault. And the nagging sad feeling I had in my chest. But now the only thing I could think of was getting vengeance.

I'd just learned from Rowen a bit of history about how Kiridian Empire came to be. Years ago ancestors related to Nai had been casted to this very location in Dampis desert. In those times it'd been the dark ages and they were trying to find a new civilization that hadn't been destroyed by wars. There was also a legend back in that time that whoever—female or male leaked a drop of blood in the very center of Dampis, they would be chosen by the Gods and three stones made of jewels would fall from the heavens and create a kingdom made of light. Only once.

And that's exactly what they did. And as the years passed other kingdoms found out about the legend of those jewels and how they could take over an entire Empire. Power and greed was often sought after everyone back then and still today. As the years passed the three jewels were engraved into crowns and a chosen royal familiar that gained the title to hold onto it's own jewel.

This tradition passed down until this generation and now Nai's parents and Pastel were charged to guard the stones. But the death of his parents has left him in charge of guarding both stones while Pastel took charge of the third.

It was an intriguing story of events that reminded me how my own kingdom was made by the creation of my amulet.

"To think all that happened just to make this empire," I said, wiping sweat against my abs with a cloth he'd given me. I needed a shower.

"Yeah. But you better believe it happened." He continued. "Every kingdom has it's origin. Was yours just as off putting as mine?"

I nodded. "That broken amulet is the key to my kingdom. And when I say that I mean that it's the whole purpose to keep my castle standing."

He frowned at me. "If you don't mind me asking. . ." he paused. "How'd you get yourself in this situation? In this world, meeting an Avatar and just not any Avatar. The prince of the Ice Kingdom. Larisa, the cold queen's son. I wouldn't have thought their people would help someone like you that's not from this realm, Outsiders are their main enemies."

I leaned against the pillar and swung the cloth on my shoulder. I debated telling him. It wasn't private but it would remind me of Gareki and the memories of him being alive. I was already sad and I didn't want to break down just be reflecting on memories of us.

Finally after a moment I decided to tell him. A gradual smile lifted my lips as reminiscences of Gareki and I first meeting came to mind and I felt the sting of tears.

I didn't expect myself to laugh but I did, just a short chuckle. The only joyful noise I'd made all day. "I'll tell you the truth," I began softly." When I first came here it definitely was an experience. Places I didn't expect to see, creatures of all shapes, sizes, and species I didn't know about. And I definitely didn't think I would meet anyone, much less Gareki."

Rowen stopped adjusting his sword holster to look at me. He saw the dazed look on my face as my first days here in the Arcial Realm came to shape in my mind.

"Let me guess," he said." He didn't like you. "

Glancing up at him my smile grew and I crossed my arms. "Oh he just didn't like me. . . he hated me. Left me for dead. But I managed to survive and found my way into his castle thanks to an acquaintance of his. Avia."

"What happened then?"

"His mother found out I was in the castle and wanted me dead. And that amulet that I want Nai to fix I explained to them that I was being tracked down by trolls from my realm that would come and steal it. They would destroy everything in their path just to get their hands on it, even their castle. Avia arranged an escape plan with Gareki involved since he knew where the Realm Gates were located and I needed to get back home. After that was arranged we traveled to many places and now we're here."

Rowen sat on the balcony across from me, paying close attention. "How long did it take him to get over his hatred for you? Did you explain to him you weren't like all the other Outsiders?"

"Yeah, I did. But he didn't believe me until he got a glimpse into my memories by Gabriel, a guardian of the wisps who lives in Luminesce Forest. And as for how long it took him to stop hating me. He was stubborn to trust me for a long time but after he saw the truth of my intentions we see each other as comrades now."

He smirked. "So when did you exactly start loving him?"

My smile faded and I looked at him taken of guard. "When did we start talking about me? What about you? Do you have someone you love?"

"I'm devoted to my work by guarding prince Nai's life. I don't have time for love. Now back to the question at hand."

I sighed. "You really want to know about me."

"Well yeah. Only because this is the first time someone with a unique background has ever come to this castle. I find it honorable so I'm curious about everything."

I shook my head while turning over to my shirt. I pulled it back on. I thought carefully about my answer. It was weird reflecting on the first time I'd fallen for him. There had been many times where I'd admitted to myself that I loved him and times that I just didn't realize it.

"I'd have to say it was love at first sight," I said quietly. "But both of us were just too occupied with things around us to even notice our feelings. Of course I figured out mine first and it took him longer to realize his. He battles with himself to admit his true feelings because he's from a kingdom of strong warriors who fight for respect and high status. But altogether I think he's just afraid."

My eyebrows creased thoughtfully at those last words.

"Why?" Rowen broke me away from my daze.

I turned to him and my words were sincere." Because he wants to protect both of us from each other."

A knock stopped me. We both looked over to see Nai standing near the open double doors.

His single red eye that wasn't blocked by his hair found me. He lifted a hand and beckoned me. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, Rowen."

Rowen stood up. "No, my prince you're not. He's done with his training for today until tomorrow."

"Good," Nai said, he looked at me again. "Do you mind if I have a bit of your time? I know you want to get back to Gareki."

"I don't mind. I'm trying not to be depressed." I told him.

He nodded before moving away from the door. "Then follow me." He turned and walked away. I thanked Rowen for the training and followed after him.

We made our way up the stairs to the main floor in silence.

"How are you holding up?" He glanced at me.

"To be honest. Not so good. I can't stop thinking about him even though I'm not in his room."

"I'm sorry. My healers are doing everything they can. We never had to perform medications on an Avatarian before. His body type is foreign to us. But they'll keep trying."

"Thank you." I looked down.

Nai glanced away. "On another note. You're amulet is almost fixed. A few more pieces to connect but nothing but another all nighter won't fix."

I jolted slightly. "You stayed up all night just to fix my amulet?"

He shrugged. "The process of fixing an amulet takes time. Especially since I have a deadline tomorrow considering that is when the Fire District is coming to steal the Kiridian Gems."

I truly appreciated everything he was doing. I wouldn't let the Fire District take over his kingdom.

"Tell me about them. How long have they been trying to steal the gems?"

He gestured with his hands. "For a long time now, years. Our defenses are strong enough to keep them back but this time I feel as though their long absence has given them enough time to try something new. They have something up their sleeves."

His face darkened for a few seconds before brightening up again. "But I'm glad you're here. We have a chance to fight back for whatever they're throwing at us."

He led me down a hall that reached the main stair well and stopped right at the edge. He turned back to me. "This conversation isn't what I wanted to discuss with you. I wanted to tell you how thankful I am that you and Gareki brought Pastel back to me. Lord knows what would've happened to him. I was thinking the worst during his absence."

I smiled."You're welcome. "

0+0+0+0+0+0+

I woke up the next morning to feel a chill ghost it's way up my arm. Sensations came to me and I realized that this was no ordinary chill. It felt much more colder. My eyebrows twitched as I slowly opened my eyes.

On the first sight I saw fog. My eyes opened wider and I saw my breath fog out from my nose.

"What. . .?" I muttered while rubbing my eyes with a hand. I thought I was seeing things. But when I opened my eyes again they weren't deceiving me. As well as the goosebumps on my bare skin.

I inched up straight in the chair I was sitting in besides Gareki's bed. It was my third day in Kiridian and the sun shown brightly from the window behind me.

My blurry vision left me and I could see clearly. But what I saw shocked me. My lips parted at the thick layer of frost coating the walls all around me even the floor.

My eyes were wide and my breath fogged around me in puffs of smoke. I could feel the frozen temperatures biting at my hot skin.

I dare looked at Gareki's bed and saw that the covers were plastered with a mass of frost patterns. I looked further upwards until I came to his face.

His eyes were still closed and everything appeared to be the same as before but one obvious change had happened. His burns were all gone. The red bruises had disappeared.

I was stuck there staring at him for I didn't know how long.

I snapped out of it and stood up next to him and reached a hand onto his chest. I felt a heart beat.

I stopped breathing, feeling as if I was going to faint. I braced myself with an arm against the wall. I closed my eyes tightly as the sting of tears pierced them.

I hopped this wasn't a dream. He was alive. He was breathing and cold to the touch. I was so relieved and happy that all I could do was cry.

I smiled and looked down at him. Hot tears running down my face. "I knew you wouldn't leave me. Thank you."

I wiped my tears just as the door to the room opened a crack revealing no one. I waited with slight confusion.

It was then that I saw a tail and the small figure jumped up onto Gareki's bed, landing in the space between his legs.

Pastel looked up at me. "Well why are you looking at me like that? I thought you'd be more surprised to see me considering it's been a whole day since we last saw each other—why are you crying?"

I wiped my eyes again a smile spreading to my lips again. "I'm just happy that Gareki's alive. Haven't you noticed the frost on the walls?"

Pastel blinked seemingly startled as if he'd just noticed that. "I thought it was originally made this way not because of Gareki. He's alive?!"

"Yes," I said enthusiastically. "Can you believe it? I was so sure this time he would never wake up but he will. You have no idea how happy I am right now, Pastel." My voice broke at the end as more tears found their way into my eyes.

I leaned my back against the far wall and sank to the ground, crossing a hand over my mouth to conceal a sob. Fresh tears streaming down once more. "I'm so lucky." I croaked. "Sometimes I think I don't deserve to be."

Pastel smiled warmly down at me before jumping from the bed to sit next to me. "You deserve to be happy. Trust me when I say that. You've done so much and traveled far all for the things you love and care about. You out of everyone in this world deserve to be lucky."

I smiled a little under my hand before lifting my other and patted him behind his ears. He purred softly. "Thank you, Pastel."

He nodded." It's only a matter of time before he wakes up."

I smiled wider before wiping away my tears. "So why'd you come here? To see Gareki?"

"No, I've been visiting the Avatar at my own timing. I came here to escort you to Nai. He wants to discuss the lay out of our battle with the Fire District with you, and he has a surprise. "

"I don't really have a choice but to come do I," I said doubtfully.

"I know you would rather stay with Gareki, but let's not forget you're doing this to get to your realm. You had a deal with him."

"Yes, I know." I stood up and followed him out but not before giving Gareki one last glance. I wanted to be here when he woke up but business was at hand. No matter how I looked at it I couldn't just bail.

I closed the door behind me and followed Pastel's lead to Nai's chambers. "What surprise?"

He looked at me oddly as if it were obvious but I was confused.

"Your amulet. He fixed it. It works good as new."

I stopped, my eyes growing huge. I'd been so wrapped up in finding out Gareki was alive that I'd forgotten about my amulet that was promised to be repaired today.

Today must've been my lucky day and tonight I would make sure it would stay that way for the fight with the Fire District, my revenge.

"I can't believe you forgot." He looked back at me as I caught up with him.

I shook my head slowly. " Alot's happened yesterday and this morning. I still have training to do with Rowen later. I just got occupied."

"Um-hmm. Considering we're on the topic of being occupied what are you going to do with Gareki once he wakes up?"

I frowned down at him. He was still looking at me with big green eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean what I just said. You both aren't together but you're kissing on the lips."

Oh that. I thought dismissively. "It's. . .complicated. I'm waiting for his answer."

His tail went stiff. He seemed way more intrigued now. "Hold on. What answer?"

"Back in Dampis he admitted to loving me but he's hesitant to be with me. I told him I'd wait for him to decide if he'd want to be with me or not."

"Why's he hesitant?"

"Protective reasons. He thinks we're different."

It was a moment before he replied again. "If I were you I wouldn't wait. You already have him some what in a relationship with you. So make your move and make him yours."

I got an odd feeling that their was another meaning to his words besides making Gareki my significant other. "What are you really getting at, Pastel?"

"Do I really have to say it?" He glanced at me and saw my lifted eyebrow beckoning him to continue. He sighed looking away from me. "Have sex with him."

My heart nearly jumped out of my throat at his blunt answer. It became hard for me to breathe. That had taken me completely off guard. I mean, it wasn't like I hadn't thought about it.

Hell, just yesterday I was thinking about him being experienced with that sort of thing.

I found my voice again. "Why would I do that?!"

"Because." He sounded suddenly serious. "He could've died, Yogi. Left this world leaving you without a chance to become something more with him. Just because he's alive now doesn't mean it'll be this way forever. Especially since you two are heading into battle for your kingdom and you're guardians, tide down to protect the Arcial Realm. Those are practically death missions you both have to fulfill. You need to make your move now or else you won't have the chance to later on. _**If** _ there's a later on."

His words felt like a stab wound I'd never be able to close. I didn't have a quick enough response because I was going over in my head what he'd just told me.

He was right. How was I to know when death would do Gareki and I apart? I wouldn't be able to be in a relationship with him if one of us were to die in the future.

A part of me wanted to listen to Pastel but the other half didn't.

Doing what Pastel suggested was a huge step for comrades who weren't even in a relationship yet. Kissing was one thing but full on taking a sex step seemed miles from what Gareki and I were now. Plus I didn't want to consider this to him if he didn't want to do it.

And with Gareki it was definitely going to be a no if I told him. "I don't think so, Pastel."

He looked at me passively. "It isn't really my business. But one more warning. It's now or never."


	39. Armored Forces

I inhaled gradually before exhaling through my parted lips.

Heart thumping in my chest erratically. My eyes were on point, blinking quickly as little as I could. I needed to find him.

Focus.

Concentrate.

Just breathe. . .

Sweat drops slid from my forehead, down my jaw and neck and finally reached the solid plains of my bare chest. I licked my lips to add moisture to them as the hot desert sun rays pressed down on my back in a relaxing sensation. Soaking into my skin as energy.

Already I could tell noon hours had hit.

I gripped the handle of the sword in my right hand. The leather sticking to my palm. I closed my eyes, inhaling once more and listened. Perceptibly.

Don't think about it. Don't think about him. Not now. Not when you have vengeance on your hands. This is more important.

Even though the voice in my conscience was convincing I was stubborn and reluctantly despite myself thoughts on what Pastel had told me earlier resurfaced from memory.

The words he considered to me about Gareki replayed.

Make your move. It's now or never.

Why was I thinking about it so much.

. . .Because he had a good point.

I shook my head trying to loosen the thought from mind. But it was stuck like glue.

I couldn't come up with a right decision for myself even though I'd already told Pastel I didn't want to take that step with Gareki.

He and I had only known each other for a couple of days which made that step seem too sudden in our partnership.

But I would be lying if I said I didn't want to have sex with him, which I had.

The hot concrete of the roof beneath my bare feet vibrated and I heard breathing closing in discreetly, it distracted my mind from previous thoughts.

As I listened to his fast steps I realized quickly he had screwed up. He had mistakenly breathed too loudly while running at me and hadn't paused a second in his sprint.

I opened my eyes and righted myself before turning my head just in time to see Rowen's sword blade coming right at me.

I parted my legs and halted. The abrupt turn causing my amulet hanging from a necklace around my neck to swing with my movements. Nai had returned it to me earlier and he had fixed it to the point it looked brand new, except for the other half missing.

As soon as I hung it around my neck, I felt it's magic course through every vein in my body.

From my peripherals I saw it's medal light up before casting a shield in front of me. I watched as Rowen's sword grazed with a loud screech against it and he lost his footing.

I took advantage and lunged through my shield and aimed my sword at him. A flesh wound wouldn't kill him instantly.

He was on his hands and knees but he saw me coming in the corner of his eyes and swiftly with ease turned himself around and kicked a leg up at my hands.

The force of his boot knocked my weapon loose from my grasp. It flung through the air until the blade lodged itself into the ground a few feet away from us.

A frustrated breath left my lips as I pushed my hair away from my sweaty forehead.

Right after discussing the layout of our fight with the Fire District with Nai and leaving his chambers. As promised I went training with Rowen where we spent all morning going over techniques, combat, and targeting practice with both of my elements.

He was impressed when he saw a fire ball first handedly float in the palm of my hand. Apparently it really was surprising for him to see another person wield fire who wasn't apart of the Fire District.

A warm breeze flew past us. Rowen moved to his feet, keeping his amber eyes on me. "I don't get it. The technique practice went well same as targeting but you still can't fully cooperate when doing combat. You need to—"

"Focus. I know," I said exasperatedly. "My mind is just. . ." I shook my head, "Caught up somewhere else."

He still stared at me trying to figure me out with his eyes but after a moment of silence and no progress he gave up like I anticipated. Only Gareki was able to read me with just a look. One out of the many abilities we had adapted during our time as guardians.

"Well for your sake you better get your head back into dire situations because once we're out there in battle you're going to wish you'd been able to subdue me in combat training." He rebuked with a finger raised at me.

I looked out over the roof of the castle into the wide view of the desert and ocean. "I'll be fine, promise." I liked Rowen because he reminded me so much of Samuels. My personal sentinel and caretaker of me and my sisters after my parents had died.

And at that moment I realized that I wasn't going to fight the Fire District just for Gareki's sake or even Nai's but for my kingdom and the people trapped there under Vileus's reign. All this led up to me returning home so I was going to fight like I meant it. And survive.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Rowen stepped next to me near the edge of the roof. Another draft breezed past us, threading through my hair.

"Yeah it is. Yesterday I thought to myself why would the Fire District want to take over a kingdom like this? But I figured since they want the Kiridian Gems to gain power then my question was already answered."

"Yes." He agreed. "People will do anything to get power. But we can't let them take what's ours. This castle holds many cherished memories."

"What's your story?" I asked suddenly after a moment of silence.

I saw him look at me from the corner of my eye.

"My story?" He lifted a brow.

"Yeah. You're past. You know all about me but I know almost nothing about you." I elaborated.

He looked off into the distance, pass the bridge that stretched over the ocean leading to Dampis. "I was there when Nai's parents were killed. I was in my younger years training to become a royal guard. He was alone and I was there for him. Ever since then we've been close. It doesn't feel like I'm his guardian but a close member of a family."

A small smile crept to my lips in memory. "You remind me of someone."

"From your realm?"

I nodded. "He too is a guard of mine that's like a father figure to me and my sisters."

"Something we have in common." He grinned. "But on another note I hope you know your position for battle tonight." He pointed out to the desert in front of us as another breeze passed us. "There is where you will be along with my fleet. You better hold your word that you'll be okay in this fight. The Fire District is stronger then you think."

I leaned toward him and said lowly, "Believe me. I know. But so am I."

+0+0+0+0+

I walked down the empty corridor of the castle that led to the sleeping chambers after taking a quick shower.

I paced myself quickly, wanting to see Gareki right at that moment. I'd spent half the day away from him and I was itching to see if he was awake or not.

I was anticipating the moment to be there when his eyes opened. I wanted to be the first thing he saw.

Pastel had been the only one I'd told of Gareki's miraculous resurrection. I was sure he would tell Nai and Rowen. That is if he hadn't already.

I still couldn't believe he was actually breathing and was cold again. I wanted to feel the static sensation of his skin once more.

As I walked down the hall I saw two healers wheeling away the same two machines operated to Gareki's body. They looked at me as they passed but didn't say anything as they hurried away. As they did I noticed the machines had a layer of frost stripped over them as if a strong blast of ice magic had hit them.

I stared after them in confusion and half anxiety. I don't know why but seeing them wheel those machines away had me thinking something was wrong with Gareki.

Those machines were used to make his body colder so nothing bad should've happened to him. If anything it meant good. He didn't need their support to make his body colder but instead was doing it on his own.

But my nervous feelings were stubborn and I found myself walking faster down to his room.

I gripped his door and instantly yanked back at the searing cold blisters forming on my palm. I breathed heavily, legs burning as I frowned at the small circles of frost on my hand.

I looked at the door knob and saw it freezing over with a thick layer of frost making this sizzling noise.

I mustered up my will power and sagged down my long sleeve over my hand before using it to grab the knob so it wouldn't make direct contact with my skin. I flung the door open and threw myself inside the room.

What I saw stopped me in my tracks and I gaped wide eyed at Gareki's body glowing an outline of dark blue as a strong frigid wind swirled strongly around the room.

His back was to me and he appeared to be looking down at his lifted hands.

I eyed his body. He wasn't naked like before but was wearing a charcoal, sleeveless turtle-neck hoodie, black skinny jeans and dark leather Newton boots with black fingerless gloves.

The tattoos on his arms glowed blinding me slightly. Subconsciously I let go of the door knob only for it to slam behind me by the strong wind.

Gareki snapped around and a growl left his throat. His eyes found mine but they were glowing brightly blue. So much that I couldn't see the white of his eyes or his iris's.

With a flick of his tail he lunged at me, looking angry and unfamiliar. He lifted a fist, ready to punch me. But he was slow. I grabbed it and he viciously growled at me again.

"What's wrong with you?!" I yelled. His glowing angry eyes held no other emotion or relent. He reached up with his other fist and punched me in the face one on my left and right and I fell to my hands and knees.

I felt the aching on my face before anything else. I looked in my peripherals and saw him lift his foot to stomp on me but he left his other leg open. I grabbed it and yanked hard causing him to fall to the cold ice floor on his back.

He rolled to his front and attempted to scramble away but I gripped his tail in a frantic act to get him to be still so I could figure out what the hell was happening.

He gave out a noise between a yelp and a moan. I'd forgotten that was one of his weak points. He glared back at me before kicking my grip away.

"Don't touch me!" He barked, distancing himself from me.

We both stood up and I kept my distance. What was wrong with him. Was this an effect of him waking up from actual death. I doubted it.

He lifted a hand and a turquoise ball of an attack spell blazed in his palm. "Keep away from me." His voice sounded threatening.

I took a cautious step at him. He jerked his hand out and without hesitation shot the spell at me. It darted like a bullet grazing my shoulder. I felt the blast hit me like ice had spiked through my body. I was lucky it had only grazed me. Lord knows it would've killed me.

A shocked breath parted my lips as I went reaching to cover my now bleeding shoulder up where a thin scratch opened.

I felt blood slowly ooze through my fingers. "Gareki, what ever's going on you need to stop. Let me help you, you're just confused."

He turned his head to my bleeding shoulder before walking over and removed my hand that covered it before dabbing a finger in the blood there before sniffing it.

I frowned at him. Was he going to do what I suspected. Or worse. Was this his sadistic alter ego.

He licked the blood from his finger and smirked, revealing sharp fangs. "Ah, I see so it is you. The one I sucked blood from before. What a coincidence we cross paths again." He didn't sound like the Gareki I was acquainted with. His voice was deeper, more rugged and evil.

I pressed against the wall trying to make distance between us again. I didn't like his alter ego. One thing I wasn't fond of about Gareki. He hadn't had blood in while. Enough time to make him go hungry and turn to his alter ego.

His glowing eyes lowered until I could see the white in them but his iris's stayed a glow.

He chuckled a bit. Something I hadn't heard Gareki do at all. But it was mischievous sounding. "Don't give me that look." He touched my chin but I flinched away from him. I wanted the other Gareki back.

"You must've known this would happen."

"I didn't. I didn't think you'd come back to life like this." I admitted.

He couldn't stop smirking as he eyed me with those untrustworthy slit eyes. He crossed his arms. "By the way you said that I can tell you don't want me here even though you love me." He leaned to my ear and whispered seductively," All of me."

He pulled back.

"I don't love this part of you. Now give me the original Gareki back." My tone held no room for argument.

He eyed me with a flick of his tail. "So boring," he sighed," You know how much I want to take over. I think I'll stay."

"No you're not!" I exclaimed." I want him to host this body, not you!"

He rolled his eyes before glaring at me. "Fine I'll give in. But you know what you have to do." He licked full lips.

I sighed knowing full well with Gareki's alter ego he was going to be rough when biting me.

I looked away and glared at the wall. "Go ahead." I offered quietly.

He wasted no time. I felt him closing in on me. His cold fingers traced gingerly down my neck, over a pulsing vein.

I squinted while shivering. He pulled his fingers away before the sharp incision of his fangs went into my shoulder. I bit my teeth to conceal a grunt of discomfort.

I closed my eyes as I felt a numbing sensation that slowly began to feel pleasurable.

His tongue licked at my wound until the blood was gone. He lifted his hands up my torso before rubbing them up my chest. Fisting my shirt in his hands and pulled me closer to him where he bit into me harder.

This time I couldn't hide a noise of pain. I felt my blood surging in the opposite direction. He drank from me until he was satisfied and I felt weaker.

His fangs pulled out of me before he licked the puncture wounds clean. "We'll see each other again, sooner or later." He whispered. I opened my eyes and glanced at him only to witness the light in his eyes disappear as well as the glow outlining his body.

And just like that he stopped smirking and his demeanor was familiar now.

He looked at me with eyes I knew all too well. Confusion masked his face as he dropped his hands away from my chest.

His eyes trailed from my face to the puncture wounds on my shoulder. His eyebrows furrowed. "What the hell did I just do?" He sounded like himself again if not sounding completely confused.

He pulled away from me before I could explain.

He looked around the room and stopped the flow of the swirling cold air with a single wave of his hand. "Where are we?" He turned back to me after examining the frozen interior of the room.

I didn't blame him for being confused. He had practically died before we had even crossed the borders of Kiridian. Looking at him now made me feel awed that he was looking at me, standing, and talking. In person it felt like a dream but he was really alive.

I leaned against the ice wall to rest my weak legs. " You lost control over yourself for a few minutes, but I'm fine. You didn't take that much blood."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I knew it." He spat menacingly. "You look pale. Are you sure I didn't hurt you?" He accused.

"I'm fine. But I'm just glad you're okay. You do realize you died right?"

I recalled the time before he had showed any signs of living. I had dropped blood in his mouth. But I hadn't thought that would revive him.

He dropped his hand, looking at me incredulously. "Of course I know that! I was trapped in darkness and the next thing I know I'm seeing all white. I don't know how I'm alive. It doesn't make any sense."

He paced with his hands on his hips. "I also heard you. Most of it was blurred out and I couldn't understand some of it, but I heard you nevertheless." He stopped and looked at the ground. "You didn't give up on me."

I smiled crookedly feeling my eyes starting to burn. " Course I didn't." I laughed a little. "We're guardians linked to each other for a reason. So who would I be to just give up on my partner?"

I covered my mouth reminiscing the moments I'd thought he would leave me for the after life. "I'm just glad you're not dead. So many times you could've died and all those times are my fault because the only reason you're with me now is because you got dragged into taking me to the Realm Gates. You have no idea how much I blamed myself for risking your life!" My voice shook with heartfelt emotion. My tears falling as I continued to speak.

He turned to face me and spoke deeply, a stern facial marring his features. "You may think it's just your fault, Yogi but it's also mine. I may have just agreed to helping you only to protect my kingdom but during this entire journey with you I could have just left and saved myself the risks. But I didn't and it's not because I've been banished. It's because I learned to trust you. Without me knowing you were changing me for the better and I wanted to see you succeed in getting back your kingdom."

I leaned my head back against the wall. Tears streaming down my face with my eyes shut tight as I clenched my jaw.

A moment of silence passed. I looked back at him and he stared at me frowning. "Kiss me." I begged shakily.

He walked over to me quickly and pressed his lips against mine with his hands on either side of my face, pulling me in. I kissed him back with just as much force, wrapping arms around his torso and gripped the soft fabric of his hoodie.

I felt it. The spark and the snap of cold against my lips from his. Just from the feel of that I was suddenly lured into him way more than I had been before.

One of my hands slid up his back, slowly until it met up between his shoulder blades. I wanted to feel him more.

With swift quickness I turned him around and shoved him to the wall. He gasped but never broke our lip lock. Even when my tongue snuck into his mouth and began fighting with his.

His breathing changed and was slightly heavier.

My hands placed themselves at his sides, went down to his torso once more and I reached one hand lower until I firmly gripped his tail.

He instantly reacted by yanking his lips from mine and gasped a silent moan, eyes wide keeping his lips parted. He was shocked while placing his hands on my shoulders.

"What are you doing?" He breathed, looking at me with unsettled eyes.

"Nothing," I lied.

He glared, the ecstasy on his face disappearing. "Yogi, don't—"

My firm grasp on his tail glided up. He stopped his sentence by throwing his head back against the wall and moaned while trembling. A sound that was beautiful to my ears as well as his expression.

Just like I'd thought. It was an erotic sight.

He glared at me or at least tried to. His face was twisted between pleasure and defence.

I gave his tail another swipe and he moaned while turning his face away from me. "Don't. . ." he pleaded, breathless.

The way he said it made me freeze. The need within me vanished. What was I doing? Was I some sort of freak. I was pushing things too far and it was clear Gareki from the things he was saying was uncomfortable. I then remembered him being nearly assaulted as a child. I might as well have been doing that.

I pulled away and dropped his tail almost immediately.

He leaned against the wall trying to catch his breath. "What the hell was that?" He asked disgruntled. "Last time I checked I told you not to touch my tail back in Lim Fay."

I shook my head and responded without fully thinking, "I'm sorry. I just got carried away with what Pastel said—"

"Pastel?" He asked, eyes narrowing. "What does he have to do with any of this?!"

I leaned against the wall and shoved my hands in my pockets. "Nothing. Just forget any of this happened."

Gareki averted his eyes before speaking. "Look, I get it. I died and you missed me. But you have to understand that I have boundaries."

I nodded slowly, looking at the ground. I could still feel him on my lips and envisioned him trembling under my touch. It made my hands shake.

"What did Pastel say to you?" He looked at me now. Eyes staring a hole into my forehead and I knew there was no going around this topic.

I prepared to tell him the truth of what Pastel had explained to me earlier that morning before I lost my nerve. "He thinks we—"

There was a knock at the door. Gareki turned to look and I sighed with partial irritation, all of my confidence draining. Who could that be at a time like this.

The knock came again and the knob jiggled but ice was keeping the door shut. Gareki turned back to me.

I wondered to myself if I'd just ruined our reunion. I didn't say anything as I walked over to the door and melted away the ice. I pulled the door open only to see Rowen.

His eyes looked at the room covered in ice. "I was coming here to show you your armor but now I'm concerned about this room. What happened?" He stepped inside before I could get a word out.

His eyes roamed the perimeter of the room. But stopped once he saw Gareki against the wall with his arms crossed. Giving Rowen a serious once over.

I watched as they both stared at each other.

"The other guardian is awake—?" Rowen asked at the same time as Gareki questioned ," Who's he?"

I placed a hand on Rowen's shoulder. "Gareki this is Rowen. The commander of guards in the castle." I turned to Rowen and asked, "Did Pastel tell you he was alive?"

"Yeah, and prince Nai. But we both didn't expect him to wake up so soon." He eyed Gareki with interest. "Do you remember anything? Has Yogi explained everything to you? How are you feeling—"

"Wait." Gareki held a hand up. "One question at a time. Yes I do remember everything and I'm feeling fine." He glanced at me. "But Yogi hasn't explained anything to me. Whatever that is."

Rowen looked at me. "Oh really?"

"I haven't gotten to it yet." I defended.

"Well in that case," Rowen said," Let's get you acquainted with prince Nai. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you awake. Then from there we'll explain everything else."

+0+0+0+0+0+0+

"So let me get this strait," Gareki said while running his thumb over the engraved Kiridian Gem from the Queen's crown. He looked up at Nai sitting on the love couch with Pastel.

Yogi and Rowen watching from the other side of the room against the wall.

"Once I died Yogi came here and arranged two deals with you. One: In exchange for returning Pastel to you you offered to heal me with the best of your ability and two: Yogi wanted his amulet fixed but for that to be done he has to help fight off the Fire District from stealing the two Kiridian Gems, and if he does that you'd offer him transportation from a boat to Maharii Sylus. Which will be here one day from now."

Nai nodded. "Yes, that's about it."

"They're coming tonight, right?"

Again he nodded. "In a few hours my guard's will be situated at the border as well as Yogi."

Gareki gave one last swipe of his finger over the gem before placing the crown in it's place. "There's one condition I have with this battle." He crossed his arms.

Nai's red eyes met with his turquoise-grey. "What would that be?"

"I want in." His voice was firm.

Yogi pushed away from the wall and looked at Gareki like he was crazy. "Absolutely not! I'm not allowing that."

"He's right," Rowen agreed. "You just came back to life. You're weak."

Gareki instantly threw a glowing-eyed glare in his direction. "You want to say that again." He threatened darkly.

Yogi dropped a hand on his shoulder. "He didn't mean it that way, Gareki. He means that you haven't recuperated from coming back to life. There could be side effects."

His eyes dimed to their original shade as he looked at Yogi. "I'm doing this for revenge. I'm not taking no for approval from you or him because either way I'm fighting."

"Do you not hear what you're saying? This is suicide." Yogi tried to reason. "I just got you back."

Gareki looked at Nai. "The only person who can oppose me is him. I'm in his castle so it doesn't matter that I'm a prince to make my decision. He's the one in charge so I'll only listen to him."

"Well that's saying a lot even though Yogi's your guardian link," said Rowen, awe struck.

Yogi removed his hand from his shoulder. "Unbelievable. Why do you have to be stubborn?" He turned to Nai."Please tell me you're not allowing this."

"You both are guardians," chided Pastel.

"So?" Yogi furrowed his brows.

"One guardian goes to fight while the other stays behind, doesn't sound logical." He continued. "You need each other even if you can't combine you still need one another's physical presence close by."

Yogi shook his head and laughed bitterly. "This is crazy. Am I the _**only**_ one who wants to keep Gareki alive?"

"No, you're not." Nai spoke finally, getting up. "But Pastel is right. You both have a link with each other. It doesn't make since for one to fight while the other doesn't. I believe we have a better chance of winning this battle with both of you on board. You'll be stronger, Yogi."

He placed his hands on his hips and glanced at Gareki with violet eyes. Just like Gareki he couldn't have his own decision in the territory of another prince. So he had to agree.

"Okay," he agreed reluctantly as Gareki returned his stare.

+0+0+0+0+0+

Yogi stood at the border of Kiridian, looking out at the darkened wave of Fire District soldiers marching in rows of black armor, ready to fight with blades of fire that blazed brightly against the darkness of the night.

They were a short distance away but were close enough to spot.

A chilled wind brushed past him and the wide spread fleet of Rowen's men as he and Gareki were positioned right in front. Gareki stood at his side. Nai and Pastel safely inside the castle constructing the main entrance and the city to be on lock down just in case any members of the Fire District passed the border.

Rowen walked past, checking his men's armor before stopping in front of them both. "You know you two are crazy for not wearing armor, right?"

They'd each decided to wear the clothes they'd been wearing.

"We're fine, Rowen," said Gareki plainly.

The man shook his head and continued onto his position.

Yogi looked over at Gareki and saw the spark from the reflection of the moon on the long, wide blade of his glaive.

"I can't believe I agreed to this." He whispered harshly. Facing strait again.

Gareki whispered," You didn't have a choice. "

"Don't remind me."

Gareki eyed him from the corner of his eye. "Look. I'm going to be fine."

"Yeah, but remember this is fire we're up against. Once you're hit you're out. Do you see why I'm so worked up?"

Gareki glared strait. "I won't get hit."

"Can you really be so sure?"

"I'm sure."

Yogi sighed softly. "Alright then here's the deal. Originally I wanted to kill both Kiharu and Kagiri for killing you but you want the same thing. So what do we do?"

"We split." Gareki answered strait forwardly.

Yogi creased his brows. "I like those odds."

Gareki nodded his head forward once. "Good, because here they come."

Yogi focused ahead and for sure the army of men were apon them now. Given a closer look they both saw Kagiri and Kiharu as the lead for the large group.

The soldiers simultaneously marched to a stop. The echo of their pounding feet coming to an abrupt halt. Yogi squeezed his hand into a fist, feeling anxious for the first ever war he would fight in his life.

Between the two armies was a a couple yards of space.

Gareki's eyes sparked to life once he laid his vision on both Kiharu and Kagiri. Instinctively he clenched his glaive tighter.

Yogi kept his hand settled on the handle of his sword tide at his hip.

A breeze of sand nestled through both fleets as they all stood facing each other with menacing glowers and scowls.

Rowen, who stood in font took a step forward and lifted his arm out towards his army. "We know your plan! Feast your eyes on your opponents who will victoriously shed your evil blood on this land. We shall not lose what is ours today! Guardians are at our side!"

Kagiri's fiery eyes landed on both Yogi and Gareki but did a double take back to Gareki. He coughed a smug laugh and spat.

He hoisted his long fire blade over his shoulder and balanced it there with a hand on it's handle. He smirked before speaking coolly.

"My, my. I'll admit I'm caught off guard by two things. For one I didn't expect any of you to be aware of our little raid tonight. And second." He pointed a finger right at Gareki. "He's supposed to be dead. I watched him burn."

"Don't believe everything you see and definitely don't underestimate me," Gareki said hotly.

Kiharu laughed before taking a few steps forward. "So what now?! Do you expect to win? This isn't a rematch. We'll kick all your assess even if you do have guardians at your side. Which means nothing to us since we've beaten them once! We'll get our hands on those Kiridian Gems either way."

Gareki's eyes shown brightly against the darkness of the night. "You know I've dealt with sad opponents in my past. And believe me when I tell you the list is long. But you two standing before me now aren't worth shit. Your plan isn't worth shit, your army isn't worth shit and your stupid egos aren't worth shit. The fight we had was a mistake and you killing me was a huge mistake. All that did was just piss me off and now you talk about winning and stealing the Kiridian Gems but you aren't going to steal shit because I'm going to kill you two ten times as worse as you killed me! And I'm taking back that gem you stole from Pastel."

Both of them shook with rage. Kagiri pulled out the gem from his shirt as it hung like a necklace from his neck. "You aren't getting it back! Attack!"

The fleet of Fire District started running at them. The ground echoed with hard footsteps.

Rowen ordered his men to attack too.

Both sides sprinted at each other. The distance between them closing up.

Both sides yelling bloody murder. Weapons were drawn out.

Yogi watched as the dark stampede of men in front of him came closer. His hand yanked out his sword and for a split second looked up at the dark sky only to see large fire balls propelling down at them.

"Gareki!" Rowen bellowed as a warning. He'd seen it too.

Yogi looked beside him and watched as Gareki ran ahead. Running way faster than anyone else. The tattoos on his arms lighting up.

The armies hadn't collided yet but were getting close.

Gareki sprinted ahead in what little space between the fleets was left. He jumped up high and held his glaive with both hands above his head. The glowing blade pointing downward. "Freeze!" His boots connected to the ground just as he stabbed the Earth with such a force the ground shook and soon erupted a large wall of thick, jagged ice.

It cracked and sizzled as the fire balls connected with it. But some melted away on impact.

Gareki kneeled before his weapon. Both his hands fisted around the long black rod as he pushed his blade further into the ground. A royal blue glow illuminated his glaive, the frost snapping with such powerful magic Yogi had ever seen him wield.

The muscles on his tattooed biceps bulged as he gripped tighter. Concentration pulling his features into a determined grimace.

Everyone in Rowen's fleet stopped running since the wall of ice was in their path of the Fire District.

Yogi stopped next to Gareki and creased his brows before looking up at the wall only to see red lights melting it's way through. Some of the fire balls had died from the ice but some made it through.

"Yogi!" Gareki yelled.

That was his que and he knew it instantly. With one hand he held up his amulet. With quick words spoken in Rimahakkian it was glowing and levitating in the palm of his hand.

A clear golden shield that stretched the length of the wall blocked away the fire and distinguished it. "Drop the ice wall, Gareki!"

Gareki yanked his blade free and the wall automatically materialized into blue sparks that fell like snow.

Yogi saw the final fire ball distinguish before dropping his shield.

After that everything happened in a blur of black and red armor. Scrapping of blade against blade. Punctured flesh, cries of pain and angst.

The battle lasted out for twenty whole minutes without success of either sides winning.

Yogi thundered through his opponents. Taking them down quickly with a whip of his sword just like Rowen had tought him as well as his own wits.

But that didn't mean he was left unscathed. He was covered in sweat from the flaming blades, his muscles were tense. A few bruises tended his arms and a slit cut bled from his right shoulder.

He'd lost sight of both Gareki and Rowen as soon as both armies had collided. But he could feel Gareki near. Instinct reassured that.

He heard breathing coming fast from behind and spun just in time to see a Fire District member raise his blade in his direction. Yogi was just about to swing his sword but stopped and watched him get stabbed from behind in the head. The familiar curved blade peaking out from his gushing forehead before pulling out.

His eyes trailed his limp body falling to the ground before looking up into the glowing eyes of his guardian link. "Speak of the devil," he said stunned.

Gareki lifted a brow before turning and stabbed another opponent. "What? You been looking for me?" He asked dismissively.

"Whole time." He watched him fight as if he were in a trance. He'd fought at his side plenty of times but hadn't taken the courtesy to see how alluringly disheveled he looked while doing it. Maybe it was just the thought of having him actually alive that made him think this way.

"You should stop wondering and pay attention to what's around you instead of ogling me."

Yogi turned to his right to cut down another member of the Fire District. But stopped when he realized it was Rowen. He had a scratch in his armor and bled from a small scratch on his temple.

"I need you both to do something for me that only you can do." He looked serious with brown curls falling into his eyes.

"What?" Gareki asked, dislocating an opponent's neck with a sickening loud snap.

"I would've liked to do this myself but as you already know both Kagiri and Kiharu use magic of fire. I don't have any speck of magic in my body and if I went up against them I wouldn't stand a chance but you two obviously have magic and can go up against them."

"You want us to find them?" Yogi asked. He wanted to settle the score of his revenge but the Fire District's army also needed to be fought.

"Yes," Rowen nodded. " But you need to kill them. If you do this army will surrender and will be forced to retreat."

"Can you be sure?" Gareki pointed out.

"Of course." Rowen looked at him." Without an army's leader the fleet won't have any since to carry out what their commander ordered out. Trust me, I'm a leader myself so I know how this will play out. Are you in?"

"You shouldn't be asking. We're in." Yogi nodded once.

 ** _To Be Continued. . ._**


	40. ClaimedP1

**Music Choice—I Don't Want To Live Forever—Zayn ft. Taylor Swift**

* * *

Yogi and Gareki both made their way through the crowd of fighting soldiers.

Stepping over the ones lying dead in the sand. Some were still alive but barley as they lay there bleeding out. Men from both sides.

A few attempted to get in their way but were taken down promptly. "Keep up!" Gareki yelled back at Yogi who'd just killed another Fire District member.

He pulled his sword free from the man's abdomen and shoved him away before following his comrade. "How do you know Kagiri and Kiharu are in this direction?"

"I have their scent from the last time we fought." Gareki replied, jabbing the butt of his glaive in the gut of an opponent who'd just ran up on him.

The man grabbed at his stomach where he'd been hit, quickly recovering before lunging at him with a fire blade. But Gareki was ready.

He spun and high kicked the weapon from his grasp before swinging his glaive. The glowing, curved blade sliced clean through the man and his armor, cutting his body in half.

Blood splattered on Gareki's cheek from the abrupt cut.

He glared down at the dead man as he straightened. Lifting his arm he wiped the blood away before turning to Yogi who stood there watching the two halves of the body laying before him. He glanced up at Gareki who nudged his head to the left. A signal for them to keep moving.

Yogi disregarded the body and tailed Gareki's lead.

He understood now. How soldiers from other kingdoms would speak about the horrors of war. How nightmares would still intrude their minds even when years had gone by since that battle.

The battle he was in now was real and brutal and held no mercy for the enemy. Only one thing mattered and that was to win. It only took the murder of that man that Gareki had just taken down for him to realize that this first war he'd ever been in was meant to be fetal without any hesitation. It was either them or you.

He glared ahead. He would win and survive. He just had to."What's our plan once we see them?" He was talking about Kagiri and Kiharu.

Gareki didn't look at him as he continued running. "We get them alone so their fleet doesn't gang up on us. I'll form an ice dome for us to fight in."

"I'll form a shield around your dome, just in case fire balls are thrown." Yogi suggested.

"Good idea."

In a sprint they broke out into a clearing and stopped running. The war bled out all around them but no one filled in the large circular space. The only other two people standing in it's center were Kagiri and Kiharu watching the battle as if they were anticipating their arrival.

Gareki squared his shoulders at the same time Yogi stood up strait.

As if they sensed their presence they turned and eyed them with contempt and menace. "So they finally show up?" Kagiri chanted.

"About time," Kiharu said.

Gareki's face turned stony as he took a step forward. "You mind telling me why you have this big space right here? You were waiting for us weren't you?" His voice was assertive and held a heavy edge.

It was Kiharu who replied. "We expect this fight with the Sun Kingdom's prince to be big. And that's speaking for us not him considering we defeated him last time easily."

"Just him?" Gareki glowered.

"Of course." Kigiri interjected. "You must not have figured this out. We're not here for you, Avatar. We came specifically to kill Yogi. But since his amulet is fixed, we steal it and then throw his life away. This fight has nothing to do with you."

" It does now." Gareki snapped. "You made it my fight by killing me! And what makes you think I'm just going to stand here and let you kill Yogi?! You're both fucked in the head if you think I'm going to allow that!" He swung his glaive. The blade grazed a deep line in the Earth. The force of his swing sending a current of ice surging over the ground quickly.

The blast sparked blue and sizzled like lightning.

Kagiri lifted a hand and met the blast with his own fire. They collided and blew apart with sparks of flames and blue ice.

Kagiri laughed. "You call that an attack spell?! How are you even a guardian?"

Gareki lifted a hand in the air and with static crawling up his fingerless gloved hand, he snapped his fingers causing the static to snap wildly over his fingers. It rang loud in clear.

Lightning struck from the sky and smacked right into Kagiri who was still laughing. It sent him flying back. But he wasn't dead yet. He didn't want him to die. At least not in this way.

Yogi smirked at Gareki's sensitivity of being called weak. He liked it when he got mad at their enemy.

"I'm done listening to your lips move." He squinted his glowing eyes before kneeling and placing his hand palm-flat on the ground. "Now is the time that you both die."

He focused his magic into the ground and felt it shack and split as a round floor of ice evolved into a large dome surrounding all four of them.

Yogi looked down at the thick ice he stood on before raising his amulet and spoke in Rimahakkian. Starting the spell of his own defenses.

A golden clear shield made itself the outer layer of the ice dome.

"We're protected," Yogi informed, dropping his amulet back to his chest.

Gareki pulled his hand away from the ground and stood up with his glaive clenched in his right hand. "Are you ready?"

Yogi's hands engulfed with flames. "As ready as I'll ever be. You?"

Gareki stood in a running start. " Did you really have to ask," he said deeply.

Yogi found himself smirking again but this time at his assertiveness. "Just don't get hit." He focused ahead and saw Kagiri move to his feet. Shoving back red hair only to reveal angry eyes set on Gareki.

"Oh, you're going to wish you hadn't done that!"

Gareki held out his glaive. "Yogi you take Kiharu and I'll take Kagiri. Got it?"

"Got it." Yogi set his sights on Kiharu who had the same intent of taking him on.

Kiharu smirked with sharp teeth. "Bring it on."

Yogi pushed his arms out, letting loose the balls of fire just as Kiharu threw his own attack. Both of their attacks impacted strongly. Creating black smoke with red sparks.

Yogi yanked out his sword before running at Kiharu. Using the smoke as a distraction.

Gareki took his eyes off of Yogi's fight just in time to see Kagiri running towards him fast. Fire blades in his hands.

Gareki easily side stepped the first swing but connected his blade with his on the second.

They both pushed their blades against each other trying to gain dominance. Gareki came face to face with him. "Give up now!" He gritted between clenched fangs. "Then I'll think about letting you die quick and painless."

"You wish!" Kagiri swung with his other blade and cut a small wound on his cheek causing him to move aside from the blow.

Kagiri took advantage and attempted to stab him but Gareki looked up and high kicked him in the face. He tripped backwards but didn't fall.

He caught his footing but was too late.

Gareki ran at him, spinning his glaive he struck forward. A blast leaving his blade.

Kagiri threw up a hand causing a wall of fire to block his spell. The ice blast melted away and he took the chance to shove the fire wall at him.

Gareki jumped high up. Missing the flames by inches. He gripped his weapon with two hands and brought it down hard as his feet touched the ground.

Kagiri swiftly stepped back. The blade cutting into the floor where he'd been standing a second ago. The ice there cracked loudly from the impact. Gareki growled and darted his fiery eyes up at him. "You just can't stand still!"

Both of Kagiri's fire blades were flung at him. "Same goes to you!"

Gareki ducked low. Hearing them whizz over head. After they passed he pushed himself up and sprinted at his opponent. Leaving his weapon behind.

"I'm done playing games with you!" His hands formed into fists and he voluntarily started throwing quick punches snapping with electricity.

Kagiri was able to evade some of them but others Gareki gained the upper hand.

Gareki upper cut him after landed two punches in his abdomen. But just when he was about to fall back he grasped his shirt and threw him to the ground, placing himself on top of him.

He fisted Kagiri's collar while holding up his other hand buzzing with static for defense. "Give me the Kiridian gem you stole!" He bellowed.

He coughed, looking up at the Avatar with a wicked smirk. "Or what? You'll beat me to death?"

"Beating you isn't favorable to me. I'd rather electrocute you." Gareki stared at him coldly through strands of his hair that'd fallen in his eyes.

Kagiri momentarily eyed his hand that surged with blue static.

"I see you have that element to. Just because you're a guardian doesn't mean you're the strongest. I'll defeat you like last time and make sure you're dead. You'll burn until your body isn't recognisable."

Gareki's glowing eyes stared strait into Kagiri's yellow ones. "You crossed the line." His voice turned deathly, nothing like how it was before. "I didn't ever want to do this ability again but you forced it out of me."

Kagiri's smirk faltered only slightly at his suddenly changed demeanor. "What are you—" Gareki snatched a hand around his throat and held tightly. "I'm done hearing you speak to me like trash. You killed me and now you'll die for it. Painfully."

He gripped tightly to his neck and slammed his back into the wall. The ice cracking from the force. He kept his hand in place. He gave Kagiri a hard glare. His eyes turning a glowing dark purple. The tattoos on his biceps stretched down his arms and slithered up his neck and face before glowing dark purple as well.

Kagiri's eyes widened and all traces of his smirk disappeared out of fear. He struggled with Gareki's grip around his neck.

"What's wrong?" Gareki asked darkly. "Scared?"

Kagiri struggled more, his hands growing warmer with fire to defend himself.

"You should be." His grip loosened a bit from his neck. "What happened to that bad ass attitude you had earlier? You're not going to stop just because I suddenly appear a threat? Because I need the fuel to be even angrier with you."

Kagiri thrust his hand forward and unleashed a fire ball, targeting his face. But when he expected it to burn him it didn't. An invisible force filled blocked it away. The fire disappeared on touch. He gasped in surprise. "What the hell." He sounded panicked but still held onto some of his dignity by also sounding vexed.

Gareki pulled him from the wall only to throw him against it, keeping his hand firm around his neck. "Big mistake." He hissed.

Kagiri's hand ignited with another fire ball. He prepared to throw it at him again. Sticking to the belief that maybe he was seeing things.

"Burn your tongue," Gareki commanded.

Spiders ran down Kagiri's scalp at the abrupt order and he stiffened. Suddenly his body felt different, like it wasn't his own anymore. Another look in Gareki's eyes and he felt hooked and compelled to follow every command instructed to him. His hand with fire shook as he tried to have some control.

"Do it!" He yelled.

His hand flew at his mouth and singed the tip of his tongue. He choked out a cry of pain.

Gareki watched as it turned black before ordering him to pull away.

Kagiri's hand trembled. The fire in his hand still stayed lit. His mouth bled from the burn and his tongue was only left in half. He made pained groaning noises. "What are you doing to me?!" More blood trickled from his lips as he spoke.

"Making you pay with my ability to manipulate." There was no point keeping him alive anymore for the Kiridian Gem. He would just have to fish it off of his corpse when he was dead.

"So this is how you're going to do it?!" His eyes widened. "You're going to kill me like this?"

Gareki raised his hand that wasn't clenched around Kagiri's neck and focused electricity to course through his fingers. "No. I'm going to kill you like I originally wanted."

Kagiri didn't have the chance to speak another word as Gareki covered his face with his hand and electrocuted him.

It didn't take long for his heart to stop beating.

+0+0+0+0+0+0+

I didn't take my eyes off of him.

I breathed heavily, my hands gripping the handle of my sword tightly with shacking hands. Adrenaline coursed through my veins. I had plenty of close calls during our scuffle. There were moments Kiharu had nearly killed me if it hadn't been for my amulet's protection over me.

I watched him through my eyelashes and the curls of my hair that'd fallen in my eyes. Disheveled.

I straightened to my full height and wiped dried blood from my lips. Still tasting it in my throat.

He had almost claimed my life but one thing was for sure. I'd won and survived the first war I'd ever been involved in.

My hand pulled my sword free from his neck and I watched as his blood dripped from the tip of my blade. "You got what you deserved. Maybe this'll be a warning to Vileus not to come after me again," I said quietly. I knew it was just wishful thinking.

My part was done but what about Gareki's.

At that moment I heard the snap of electricity. I turned and saw Gareki pushing Kagiri to the wall. Hand covering his face as static bloomed all around them.

I saw his tattoos covering his body like how they'd done back in Jiki's cave. But this time he definitely wasn't healing himself.

I sheathed my sword and took a step towards him but once I did he dropped the body to the ground, keeping his back to me.

I paused and waited a few seconds. His tattoos turned black again and shrunk to their original positions.

"Gareki?" I walked over to him and stopped a few feet.

He turned to me with blank eyes. "I'm fine." He assured before I even asked.

I frowned skeptically. "Are you?"

He sighed and held each hand on either side of his head. "No. . .I'm not, I feel tired. I just came back to life today and here I am fighting in a war out of revenge. The fuck was I thinking?"

I shook my head slowly. "See? This is why I wanted you to stay in the castle. I'd like to say I told you so, but I won't."

He glared at me with blue-grey eyes. "You better not. I wanted vengeance just as bad as you."

I nodded my head at Kagiri's body."You succeeded and so did I. The good thing is it's all over and we have what we were looking for." I held up the red Kiridian Gem.

Gareki picked up his glaive before glancing at it. "Seriously? Kiharu was who it was with." He looked at Kagiri. "I thought that bastard had it. He had me going mad."

I remembered the purple hue of his tattoos. "What was that all about? This is the second time I've seen your tattoos turn purple."

He made his glaive disappear and looked away from me. "Let's just say it's an ability that proves to be dangerous when used too long. I don't use it often unless I have to make a point."

"Noted." I responded. "And you're sure you're okay? You didn't get burned?"

He removed blood from the cut on his cheek. "I'm fine. Really. It's you who looks banged up."

I was scratched up somewhat badly. "I can heal."

He averted his eyes away from me and looked outside the dome. "On another note. How are we going to let Rowen know we finished our mission?"

"He gave me something to inform him," I said pressing the radio crammed in my ear.

+0+0+0+0+0+

Gareki and I stood side by side along with the soldiers who were on our side. Those who were alive and those who were dead were gathered.

We all stood and watched as Rowen shook hands with our enemy. Issuing the agreement for them to never step into Kiridian borders ever again now that their leaders were dead. They no longer had a purpose to lead them.

Rowen took a step back and watched as the Fire District left with their own dead soldiers.

The midnight air hung the stench of blood and everyone had injures either small or worse but one thing mattered. Even for the ones who'd died they hadn't done it in vein. The battle was over and they'd won.

We watched as the Fire District became a speck in the distance. Holding our positions.

Rowen turned to all of us but mainly looked at Gareki and I. He too had a few cuts and dents on both his armor and face but the smile he showed masked all of that.

His hand at his side formed into a fist and he threw it in the air. "REJOICE!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.

Every man standing shouted and cheered. Pulling each other close in tight hugs. All repeating the word "rejoice" over and over.

I smiled at the cheers echoing all around us and couldn't"t help but to pull Gareki in a hug as well. He was startled by the gesture but hugged me back. "We did it!" I held up the Kiridian Gem all the while keeping one arm wrapped around Gareki's shoulders and one of his wrapped around my torso.

Rowen came up to us and thanked and hugged us. "We couldn't have done this without you. I owe you."

I handed him the Kiridian Gem. Keeping his offer in mind. "We were glad to help."

+0+0+0+0+0+0+

I awoke to someone calling my name. My conscience telling me it was the next day. I kept my eyes closed, assuming that I was hearing things.

But the voice came again, quietly. I listened carefully.

If I opened my eyes now no doubt the hangover from drinking at last night's small victory party would spike up and I didn't want that.

I turned away from the voice in my bed and pulled the red Satan sheets over my head to block the light coming in from the far window.

A few seconds after I'd done that. The person pulled them off my head.

I heard a sigh and felt a cold breeze ghost up my bare shoulder blade. Fingers traced on my shoulder before a cold hand clamped there. "You wake up now and I won't have to freeze your shoulder." The voice whispered in my ear. Sounding much more familiar now.

My eyes flickered open at Gareki's closeness. My heart giving a steady excited beat. I turned my head and met up with his eyes staring down at me as he leaned over me closely.

I brushed my loose curls out of my eyes and blinked a few times, feeling as if I were dreaming but the moment was very real. "As much as I like you in my room I got to ask what are you doing in here?" I asked.

He stayed in position. Seeming oblivious to what his close proximity was doing to me. I could smell him. And he smelt amazing. Like mint soap.

His eyes lit up with the reflection of light peaking in from the window. " I'm here to wake you up. You slept half the day away."

I closed my eyes and rubbed both hands over my face to dispatch the fatigue. "Jeez. I knew I shouldn't have drunk so much. How come you're not affected?"

"Because I can handle my alcohol." He lifted an eyebrow.

"I can see," I said softly, trailing my hand up his wrist that was positioned over me. His cold skin was soft to the touch.

He watched me do it before averting his eyes back to mine. He inhaled before speaking. "I should go. You have a hangover. I don't want to be a bother."

He moved to get up but I held onto his wrist, pulling him down until his back was on the mattress where I'd been laying. He stared up at me with slightly parted lips in surprise.

My thumb traced his chin and tilted his head up to me as I pinned him down with my other hand. "You weren't just going to leave without kissing me, were you," I asked boldly.

His eyes searched my face. "You shouldn't be doing this." He whispered. "I haven't made up my mind yet. This is pushing things."

I rubbed his chin lightly. "You're right. But I can't help myself. You're presence always spikes an interest in me." I moved my hand to the side of his face. My fingers mixing in with his hair. "And if you hadn't made up your mind yet then how about we shed light on the subject?"

I positioned my other hand slowly under the hem of his shirt, the fabric of his turtleneck- hoodie slipping away easily. I felt over his abs. Cold skin meeting warmth. He sighed against my lips. Resistance evident in his eyes. "You're not being fair." He breathed.

I smiled a small one. "Last time I checked this wasn't a game." I kissed the side of his lips. "Don't worry. I'm not going to cross the line. I learned last time about your boundaries."

I kissed him. The atmosphere in the room turning intense. Crackling with static and heat. The sudden need to feel and be close to him taking over my mind once again. You could say my love for him was overpowering any since of reason.

He hesitated at first but then kissed me back. Shutting his eyes he reached up and spread his fingers through my hair, pulling me closer.

I licked his lips and he allowed me in. Our tongues connecting. My heart sored in my chest.

I tasted his lips as I ran my hand down the side of his abdomen. My nails digging in slightly. He gasped against my lips and I sensed goosebumps on his skin.

I pulled away from his lips only for him to bite my bottom one. Enough to draw blood. He pulled me back down and clasped his mouth with mine again.

My blood smearing over his lips. I moaned against his mouth. My hand slid up his shirt, I pulled away from his lips and he breathed to catch his breath.

I took the opportunity to dip my head down toward his chest. My tongue trailed one of his pecks before biting down carefully.

His head fell back as he arched his spine. "No—!"

Before we knew what was happening the door to the room flung open hitting the wall and revealed Pastel. Startled I slipped away from Gareki and fell off the bed.

Gareki sprung up, gasping and disheveled. The smeared blood on his lips staying in place. "What the hell, Pastel?!"

"Pastel?" I muttered and quickly sat up and hooked myself to the side of the bed, looking at the cat. My face turning red with embarrassment at the thought of being seen in such a state. "What are you doing here?" I asked as carefully as I could in light of the situation.

Pastel looked as if he had just seen something he shouldn't have. Which he did. He looked between me and Gareki and quirked a smile. "Well, I was here to tell you, Yogi to get prepared before the maids got here. But I see you're busy."

"He's not busy," Gareki interrupted, pulling his shirt down and wiped what was left of the smeared blood. "I was just leaving. Some of the maids want to pick a suit for me to try on and I'm already late."

He stood up and looked at me. "Hopefully your hangover is gone now. I'll speak to you later." He turned on his heal and left the room.

Pastel stared after him.

I already knew what he wanted to discuss. It had to be about what we had just done. I sighed at Pastel's terrible timing and stood up before scrounging around my room for a shirt.

As I looked I tried to dislodge the feel, sound, and gasps from Gareki that'd gotten stuck in my brain. The images blurring and the sounds he made echoing. It was enough to set my hangover back in motion.

"Well then," said Pastel, jumping up on my dresser. "I didn't think the alcohol you had last night would give you the courage to listen to my advice. Let alone I never knew Gareki would submit to you."

That was a weird way of putting it. I shrugged on a fitted grey long-sleeved T-shirt and pulled on the same sky blue skinny jeans and black boots from yesterday. "It isn't like that. Besides, we weren't doing what you think. He hasn't made up his mind to be with me yet. And I still feel weird about going as far as to have sex with someone I'm not in a relationship with. As long as he's contemplating his answer that's how long I'm going to wait until I follow through with your advice."

Pastel curled his tail. "That could be a long time though, longer than you both have."

"Trust me. I know. But I promised Gareki that I would wait until he came up with an answer. As much as I do want to follow your advice, I can't."

Silence filled the room for a short moment.

Pastel spoke. "You two were practically all over each other when I came in. Has it ever occurred to you that Gareki wants you both to go further than just kissing? I mean judging by the way he reacted to you it seems like he would."

I recalled his reactions to my touch and despite his boundaries like we'd talked about yesterday he did seem to long for my touch. He never really pushed me away physically. It was a possibility he wanted to take a step further with me.

"I don't know. But I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Change of subject?"

"Yes," I said, desperately." Why'd he need a suit?"

Pastel scoffed like it should've been obvious. "Right, you didn't hear about it since you slept nearly the whole day." He sat up strait. "As you already know Nai's birthday party is tonight. He's instructed for everyone who's attending to be in formal wear. And it is also a masquerade. Something that should be fun. He wanted to have a little twist to his party theme this year."

I blinked at Pastel a little surprised at that theme. I'd been to plenty of parties in my past but never a masquerade. It sounded exciting, especially after winning over a war. I wondered though if this was the right time to just be partying away when my sisters and kingdom were still in risk of dying and being taken over.

Pastel read my mind by simply looking at my expression. "You came this far and you've worked hard to be here. You should have some fun. It's only for one night. Besides. How many Outsiders can say they had a magnificent party bash in one of the finest kingdoms in the Arcial Realm? None."

I smiled. "Yeah, maybe." He pounced on my head and messed up my hair.

"What do you mean 'maybe?'"

I laughed and pulled him off. "Okay, okay. It'll be a fantastic party. As long as my mask is creative."

"You'll have to settle that with the maids," Pastel said.

A set of knocks came on the open door and we both looked up to see four maids holding plastic wrapped suits in each hand. Shoe boxes as well as mask cases situated behind them.

"I'll leave you to it." Pastel dropped to the ground and headed to the door but before he left I asked," You can't stay?"

He turned to me and shook his head. A sly smile peaking on his snout. "Trust me, once they start dressing you there won't be any room for me or distractions." He turned and left.

+0+0+0+0+0+

Despite me not wanting them to the maids helped me bath in a round tub full of warm water. They poured scented fragrances in the water that made it bubble up in seconds. It didn't take long for the entire bathroom to smell like cologne and soap.

One of the maids, who named herself Lynn poured water on my head. My hair now soaking wet drooped in my eyes.

I reached up to push it away but another maid named Lex grabbed my wrist and started filing my nails down.

Lynn pulled my hair back and with a hand full of shampoo began scrubbing my scalp.

Two of the other maids, Juniper and Ann were soaking sponges over my bare chest and legs, cleaning me.

All of them shared a similarity to the maids back in my kingdom. They too wouldn't let me do anything personal on my own.

I didn't bother to protest but I did have a question. "Is this all really necessary?"

It was Lynn who answered. "Prince Nai has given us specific orders to prepare you and Prince Gareki with the up most care and preparations."

She grabbed a bucket full of water and dropped it over my head.

After bathing me my skin was left smelling like the scented water. Ann hooked up hair utensils before blow drying my hair. Lynn, Lex, and Juniper all set out my suit choices and masks as well as shoes and jewelry.

Lex came over with a small handle case. She settled it on the dresser I was sitting in front of with the mirror mimicking my face.

"Have you ever worn makeup?" She asked casually. I gave her a funny look as if it were the most absurd thing I'd ever heard.

"Not trying to offend you your highness but from that battle you have a few uncovered scratches. I'll need to conceal them with some foundation."

"Foundation?" What the heck was that.

"You don't need to think about it. She grabbed a puffy brush with brown hairs before dabbing it in a compactor of powder that matched my skin tone. She then lightly glided it over my cheeks, forehead and chin. Making sure it was blended in.

My skin was cleared of any scars I'd gotten during the battle. Foundation was some powerful stuff. My face popped out more. I never really judged my facial appearance but I was looking handsome.

Ann finished blow drying my hair. Afterwards she sprayed my hair with hair spray before grabbing a curling iron and made my loose curls into tight ones.

" I'm a professional when it comes to hair so you shouldn't worry." She said.

By the way she was doing it I wasn't at all. She was doing a great job.

Finally after my hair was done it came the suit choice. I tried on one after another. The maid's opinions keeping me from choosing.

Either the color didn't suit me, or the blazer was to tight looking on me, or it didn't appeal with my pants or shoes it felt like forever until we all decided on a suit.

I looked in the three way mirror, buttoning up the dark red blazer. Juniper walked over and unbuttoned it.

"It looks better this way. She pushed up both of the blazer's sleeves to my elbows and pulled up my pants, making sure my shirt underneath the blazer was tucked into them.

She stood back with the rest of the women and scrutinized her work.

A few seconds later they all smiled and nodded. " You look magnificent, your highness." Lynn complimented.

I shared a one sided smile with them. "Thank you." I looked in the mirror and eyed the solid colored red blazer, white button up shirt with black buttons and a bow-tie. My legs covered with black slender slacks with dark dress shoes.

My only choice of jewelry being a golden watch on my left wrist. I had to pause and really stare at myself.

I looked completely amazing. The maids had out done themselves.

"One last thing," Lex said holding out a rectangular box to me. I opened it and my eyes roamed over the golden mask made to stop over the bridge of my nose with sharp eagle eye cut outs for my eyes to see through. Black dots marked around the eye holes giving it a fine detail.

I pushed the mask to my face and tide the string at the back of my head. I looked in the mirror and could only see my mouth and jaw. Perfect.

Juniper looked at the clock. "It's almost time for the party. It's eight- fifty seven. You've got two minutes to spare to get down stairs. We'll clean up here."

I nodded. "Thanks again." I turned and opened the door, walking out I headed down the darkly lit hall. I thought about seeing Gareki but his room was dark. He must've been downstairs already.

I continued down the corridor. Candles hung from the walls leading all the way down till the hall intersected with another hall.

I turned right and as I kept going I gradually began to hear voices. Guests were already arriving through the main entrance. And from what I heard a lot of them were already down stairs.

I heard conversations mingling, clattering of silver ware, and laughter.

I looked up at the large glass window above the main stair well and realized how dark it was outside. It had seriously taken me the rest of the day just to get ready.

I wasn't too surprised. After all the time consuming events I'd been to as a prince.

I rounded the corner not paying attention to the figure running up the stairs. He bumped into me.

I stopped walking as the man turned to apologize but stopped once he saw my face—or partially half of it. "Yogi?" Rowen stepped at me and slowly smirked after eyeing my attire.

I looked at him all dressed in a blue and black blazer. His mask a royal blue that was themed a peacock. "Yeah." I responded slowly. My own smile pulling on.

He threw his arms out and hugged me briefly. "Well look at you all dressed up!"

I laughed hugging him back. "You're one to talk."

He shrugged and stepped back. "Not very often I get to dress out of uniform. I got a break tonight though."

"Well you look good." I offered.

"I can't take all the credit. So do you."

"Thanks. The maids hooked me up nicely."

"Agreed," he said, smoothing out my blazer. "Your mask isn't half bad either."

"Where were you heading?" I asked.

"To get you."

"Oh. Have you seen Gareki?" We began walking down the grand stair well. It was placed where the main entrance was in front of us and I could see women in long luxurious gowns and men in tailored suits all hidden behind masks.

Incense were placed in holsters on the walls filling the room with a vanilla fragrance.

"No sign of your Avatarian boyfriend. I'll keep an eye out."

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. "Oh jeez."

"What? You did tell me about your relationship."

"I may have let on to you that I love him but we're not together."

"Yet?"

"It's complicated."

"Did you ever tell him how you feel?"

We came off the stairs and he led me over to the beverage bar, sliding past guests. "Of course. I wasn't able to keep it to myself."

I grabbed a shot of red wine and took a sip. I turned and leaned my back against the bar. I surveyed the venue. Just like the halls up stairs the large room was dimly lit setting the atmosphere nicely. The three chandeliers forming a low glowing light that made the domed sealing appear golden.

The light cascaded down on the circular white cloth tables that divided into a spacious circle around the room for the dance floor. Each table had a vase of flowers and silver ware.

The grand stair well stood wide. From where I stood I could see upstairs between the pillars. In the far corner of the room a band played music with a steady seductive beat that made you want to dance. Over all the room was beautifully lit and the color theme was breath taking.

Nai's sense of theme definitely played out well.

Rowen turned to me. "So basically you're telling me that you and Gareki are having a hard time being together? It's that kind of complicated?" He took a swig of his shot glass.

I sighed. Holding my glass away from my lips. "Look, Rowen, I don't—"

My eyes flickered up and instantly I froze mid sentence. My mouth hanging open.

Rowen lifted an eyebrow. "Yogi?"

But I couldn't hear him. I'd tuned him out completely. My eyes were locked onto the two people walking down the grand stairwell. One of them in a silver mask was clearly Nai but the other I could tell just by a glance was Gareki.

How had I met a guy so completely stunning as him.

Time stopped all around me as I watched him walk down the stairs in slow motion besides Nai, locked in conversation. He wore a charcoal colored blazer. The sleeves black and pulled up to his elbows and stood open revealing the loose collared white button up shirt he had on underneath. He wore the button up untucked in a casual manner. His pants were black skinny jeans with dark grey leather ALDO shoes. A silver watch was on his right arm. One hand sticking in his pocket.

He was slender, broad shouldered, stunning and ever so perfect. I knew it was him even with the black and white mask designed with curved silver lines on his face. It was just like mine. It stopped above his nose only revealing his lips and jaw.

The sound of glass breaking broke me out of my daze. And just like that time unfroze. I looked down and saw my shot glass spread out in small shards at my feet. My hand that had been holding it had subconsciously spread my fingers to let go of it.

"About time you snapped out of it," Rowen spoke next to me.

I blinked a few times. "I gotta go." I muttered, stepping over the glass.

"What?" He asked as I walked away from the bar. He stared after me.

I made my way through the crowd of guests. My eyes never leaving Gareki's face.

Just as I was about to cross over a servant stopped me with a platter of wine glasses filled with clear liquid with a slight yellow hue. Lemon wedges on the rim of all of them.

"Tequila sir?" He asked.

I took two glasses off. Not having to get one for Nai considering he already had one. "Thanks." I continued forward. As I got closer I could hear their conversation. Gareki looked up and his eyes found mine instantly despite all the people in the room.

His smirk faltered as he saw me. His eyes bore into me and I felt the intensity of them. Time seemed to slow again as I watched his blue-grey eyes blink ever so slowly. The slits in them dilating as he turned his head towards me. Looking a bit taken off guard.

I could feel his eyes burning through me even as I came up to him and Nai who greeted me.

"Yogi, it's good seeing you." He smiled at me. "Had enough sleep?" He joked.

I laughed. "Yeah. Apparently I wasn't all that good with holding my alcohol last night."

"I see you have more." He pointed to the wine glasses of Tequila.

"It is a party so I thought letting loose wouldn't be so bad. One of these is for me but the other. . ." I glanced at Gareki who hadn't taken his eyes off me the entire time.

He stood there staring at me as I held the glass out to him. "Gareki?"

He blinked finally and shook his head slightly before looking at the glass and took it. Our fingers touching for a second. "Thanks," he said as if he'd just woken up.

I smiled before turning my attention back to Nai. "Your party looks great by the way. A masquerade was definitely a good idea."

"Thank you," he smiled. "I wanted an unexpected theme this year for my birthday. I'm glad to hear that someone likes it. First review I've gotten all night."

"I'm sure others will share their opinion."

"Me too. But anyway let's get off this topic. I really want to say some words that I didn't get to at last nights victory party. I owe you both immensely for saving my kingdom and I'd like to say many thanks for your help. I'm in your debt. I don't know what I would've done if the Fire District had taken over. It certainly wouldn't be a party today. If my parents were here I'm sure they'd be happy."

"I'm sure they would be too. As guardians we were meant to help. I'm glad we did. But as for you being in our debt there's not anything I can think of that you haven't offered us already."

"Well if there is anything I'll keep in touch with you." He insisted. One of the servants walked up to us and whispered in Nai's ear. Nai nodded and turned to us.

"I'm afraid I have guests to greet but I'll catch you both later."

"Okay." I watched him leave. Gareki took Nai's place in front of me. I turned to look at him, eyeing his attire once more. He really looked great. I smiled down at him. "Seriously. I can't take my eyes off you."

He looked up at me with eyes that reflected the dim lighting. Just a look made my heart dance in my chest. "You clean up nice yourself." A hint of a smirk pulled one corner of his lips. "I'll admit it. You surprised me for a second."

"Oh really?" I chuckled a bit. "Just a second. Judging by the wide eyed look you kept giving me while I was talking to Nai tells me other wise. Admit it. How do I look to you?"

His eyes held many unspoken words. He took a sip of his Tequila before answering strait forwardly. "Perfect." It may have been just one word but to me it felt like many.

My smile grew.

He tilted his glass to mine. "Are you really going to drink all that?"

I looked down at my glass. He was right. I'd already drank last night and from those events I couldn't handle my alcohol. "This is the only glass."

"Better be." He scolded, taking another sip of his drink.

I looked around the room at the guests filing in on the dance floor as a slow song began to play. Bound To You by Christina Aguilera.

I turned back to Gareki. He got the hint just by looking at me. He shook his head. "No, we're not doing that."

"It could be fun."

He stayed put. "You can dance with someone else."

"You're the only one I want to dance with. Do it for me." I held my hand out to him. He stared at it for a few seconds before placing down his glass and grabbing my hand reluctantly.

I smiled a small one before placing my own glass down. I pulled him with me until we were in the center of the dance floor. Guests surrounding us with their own partners.

We stood facing each other. Slowly I lifted his left hand and intertwined our fingers in a hand lock. I placed my other hand above his hip and he placed his on my shoulder.

No one minded us. They only paid attention to themselves. It was like we were the only two people in the room.

We slowly swayed and spun with the wave of the singing voice. The slow beat rocking us forward, compelling us to move.

Gareki looked away from my eyes and instead looked at my bow-tie.

"I still need to talk to you about earlier," he said quietly.

I leaned my head low until the bridge of my nose was near his hair. "As expected. Say what's on your mind."

"What's becoming of you? Ever since I woke up you've been different. You're more forward with me than before and I get that you missed me but why do I get the feeling it's more than that? Pastel has something to do with this, right?"

I closed my eyes. I hadn't realized I'd been acting different, I thought I was being myself. He was onto me and Pastel's discussion. But I wasn't going to hide it any longer. "Yes. Pastel does have something to do with my behavior."

"What is it?"

I paused for a second to muster up my confidence. "He thinks we should have. . .sex," I said lowly considering people were near us.

Gareki's hand tightened with mine and he tensed. "What?!" He practically pulled away from me. Almost everyone turned to look at us from his loud out burst.

"Don't mind us." I apologized before stepping toward Gareki. "Walk with me." It wasn't a question but an order. The last thing I wanted was for us to be causing a scene at Nai's birthday party.

Gareki followed me up the grand stair well and we both disappeared down the hall.


	41. Claimed P2

**Music Choice—Crazy In Love(Fifty Shades Of Grey)—Beyonce**

 **You Got Me Lookin So Crazy**

 **My Baby, I'm Not Myself, Lately I'm Foolish**

 **I Don't Do This**

* * *

Gareki followed me down the dark hall lit by candles until we came to double doors that led to a balcony. I shoved them open with tao hands and walked out into the night air. The moon high up reflecting it's light on the waves right below us. They crashed loudly to the rocks holding up the castle.

I looked out into the distance as Gareki came up behind me yelling at me about how wrong it was for us to have sex. He hadn't stopped talking about it ever since we left the party.

"I can't believe this!" He tore off his mask and stared at my back with sharp eyes. "You know me Yogi well enough to understand that I can't go that far with you! Did I not tell you about my past where I nearly got assaulted? And here you are making advances towards me! Why would you even consider what Pastel told you?!"

He began pacing the length of the balcony. "It's wrong! It's like everything I told you about my past doesn't matter. It's disgusting!"

A moment of silence passed between us. The pressure thick like butter. I glared out at the ocean, my shoulders sinking.

So this was how he thought of me. Disgusting. I hadn't once thought of him thinking of me in that way. Until now. And it hurt and offended me.

I heard him open his mouth and yell at me some more. My face and body grew hot. I leaned over and planted my hands on the stone made railing of the balcony trying to stifle my growing temper. But I couldn't. I whirled around. "Gareki, just shut up! Dammit!" I roared.

He instantly stopped mid sentence. The look on his face showed irritation and he glared at me.

I returned his angry look. "As much as I love you I never wanted to yell at you like this! But you crossed the line. What am I to you?! Do you think I'm that inconsiderate? I never touched you in the disgusting way that King did years ago. And never would I ever do something you wouldn't want me to. I have restraint unlike him! So why would you pair me up with him like that?"

He just stood there, continuing to glare at me.

I wasn't finished yelling at him though. "And since we're on the topic of sex why would it be so disgusting for you to do it with me? And if you don't want to then why have you been leading me on this whole time making me think you do?!"

"What are you talking about? I never wanted that." He took a step at me.

I shook my head indifferently. "You know, Pastel mentioned something to me earlier about how you react whenever I touch you in a certain way. You only pushed me away once, verbally, and that was yesterday. You never physically pushed me away whenever I kissed or touched you. You were leading me on. Clearly it's not as disgusting as you say."

He looked away from me. "Disgusting. I didn't mean to say that. I was caught off guard and that word just flew out of my mouth."

Unbelievable.

" Well excuse me when I say this flew out of my mouth: you ruined this night for me and I'm out of here." I moved past him and left the balcony just as fire works splintered off into the sky.

He watched me go. "Where are you going?"

I stopped walking. I hadn't even passed the double doors yet. I turned back to him. "I'm going to my room. A place where I won't be thought of as disgusting."

Another firework shot off into the sky. Red and gold sparks flew over the ocean.

He pushed his hair back with a hand in a exasperated manner. "For Christ's sake, Yogi. I didn't mean to say that. I don't think you're disgusting. Why else would I let you touch me the way you do."

I sighed and fully turned to him before pocketing my hands. "None of what you're saying makes any sense. Which is it? Am I disgusting for wanting to have sex with you or am I not? Do you actually want to be with me or not? What have your own actions implied? The way you kiss me and pull me in make me feel like you want me just as badly as I want you but here you are standing in front of me making me feel like you don't want to be with me. You're confusing the hell out of me, Gareki!"

"And I'm sorry for that, okay?!" He threw his arms out. "But so much is on my mind."

I stepped back with another shake of my head. "Great," I said bitterly," well when you figure it all out you better explain yourself. Because I don't know how much more of this I can take. You know where to find me." I turned on my heals and disappeared down the darkened hall before he could stop me again.

+0+0+0+0+0+0+

I barged into my room and twisted the latch, locking the door.

I turn on the lamp sitting on my nightstand. Dimly lit yellow light brightened up half of the spacious room. The other half staying somewhat dark.

I looked around and for sure it was spotless. Earlier it had looked like a train wreck with suits and shoes everywhere. The maids had cleaned up nicely.

I pealed off my bow-tie and threw it on my dresser as well as my mask before removing my blazer and placed it on the corner of my king sized bed.

I curved a finger in the throat of my button up and loosened my collar as I walked to the bathroom. I needed to cool down.

I flicked the light switch on once inside and turned the cold knob on the sink before splashing my face with it. I splashed water over my face three times, smoothing my hands over my cheeks to get rid of the extra drops.

I inhaled slowly and positioned my hands on the rim of the sink staring at myself in the mirror.

Why did he have to be so complicated. And why did I love him for it was the bigger question.

There were many reasons why I loved him but fewer reasons why I shouldn't.

I glowered at myself. Why couldn't he just be easy to understand! Why did I have to go and choose the most stubborn minded person in the Arcial Realm to fall in love with.

He had no right to be angry with me. I was the one who deserved to be angry with him. He claimed that I was inconsiderate but in reality I had put him first before my own needs when Pastel mentioned that suggestion to me.

"He just doesn't get it!" I snapped, taking off my shoe and threw it at the mirror. I hadn't expected it to break but it did. Throwing shards at me.

I blocked them with raised arms but a single piece nicked me on my shoulder, ripping my shirt and skin. Blood seeped out of the finger long cut.

"Great." I muttered sarcastically, dabbing it with a wet cloth to sooth the stinging. I didn't feel like cleaning up the glass at the moment so I just left it there and turned off the bathroom light before walking out.

I moved over to my balcony and pushed the glass doors open and stepped out once more into the night air.

I stood near the stone railing and watched the glow of the fire works from a distance hit the sky and explode. I wondered how tonight would've gone if Gareki and I hadn't of argued.

We definitely wouldn't be watching the fire works separately. We would've enjoyed them together and would've gone back to the party without the bother of our dispute.

Why couldn't he just decide about us being together. He always seemed to fight with himself over his true feelings. Didn't he at least understand how important it was to me for us to be together.

I watched another fire work go off in the sky. Splitting off the colors blue and white. A knock came at the door. I pushed away from the balcony a part of me not wanting to open it because I expected the worst if it were Gareki but the other part of me wanted to know his explanation.

I unlocked the door and pulled it open. Gareki stood in front of me, his hands in his pockets. He looked up at me before pushing past me without a word and I allowed him.

I watched him as he moved to my dresser and leaned his back against it. I twisted the latch before closing the door. I waited, standing in place for five seconds before walking over to my bed where I sat at the foot of it, right across from him.

We stared at each other for a minute before I broke the silence. "I hope you're ready to explain."

"I'm all ears. Ask me and I answer," he said plainly.

I contemplated my choice of words carefully as if the question itself would provide him to answer in a sensible way.

"I want to know how you feel about me. I know you said that you love me but now all I can see from you is mixed feelings. I want to know the truth." I leaned my elbows on my thighs before clasping my hands together.

I could see him thinking about his answer through my eyelashes. "There is mixed feelings. But not what you think. I love you completely and I know I'm sure of it. But being with you—I've given it a lot of thought and I don't think I could go through with it."

I closed my eyes and massaged one of my temples. It was unsettling news. "Why? Why lead me on? Why not stop me whenever I kissed you if you didn't want to be with me?"

"Mixed feelings made me want you to touch and kiss me but a part of me didn't want you to, but despite that feeling I allowed you. I didn't want you to stop."

It slowly began to make sense. Mixed feelings were making him lead me on but I needed to know why he didn't want to be in a relationship. "So you don't want to be with me?" My voice was disappointed.

"No, I don't. But only because I'm not used to trusting someone and putting my full emotion to that person, that's something I didn't tell you. You forget I'm from a world where we don't show out feelings towards one another unless it's done in private. Not even my own mother expresses her love for me and neither do I with her. I'm not used to loving people besides myself. She tolerates me because I'm her son and I'm royal blood, that's all."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He couldn't be with me because of the way he was raised. I wanted to ask him why hadn't he told me this sooner but I couldn't. My mind was still reeling at the idea of loving him. All reasons to keep loving him nearly vanished within the darkest depths of my mind but I got a since that I could still have him. And when that since came I hooked onto that small spark of hope. I always got the things I wanted without giving up and I wasn't ready to give him up yet.

"I want you to listen to me and listen good," I said. He kept his eyes on me. "I can show you and make you feel everything you've been missing out on. All those emotions you never experienced but you have to give me a chance, just this once. Just for tonight."

His frown disappeared but turned into realization. "Yogi, we just argued over that. It's—"

"Don't you dare say that it's wrong. You love me and I love you what's so wrong about having sex with the person you love? Besides, you just told me you wanted my touch. Don't act like you don't now because of your mixed feelings."

"Yeah, but this is going too far." He pushed away from my dresser and walked towards the door. "I'm sorry, Yogi but you're just going to have to forget your love for me. The way I am now is bound to ruin our relationship if we ever got into one."

I got up to follow him. "So that's it then? You're just going to leave. Right when I'm trying to fix us so we could have some hope of a relationship?"

"How is sex going to fix that?!" He turned and snapped in my face.

I calmed myself before I yelled at him. I spoke carefully, "I'm trying to help you feel something for me instead of just loving yourself." I defended. "Do you not realize how depressing that is?"

He walked up to me until we came face to face. "Forget about it, I'm leaving," he said forcefully. He stared at me for another second before turning and continued to the door.

Attachment surged through me. He couldn't leave. I didn't want him to.

"Fine then." I blurted. " If we do this it doesn't count as your decision to be with me. I just want you to have some emotion, we don't have to be together after this."

He ignored me and kept walking. In one last desperate attempt to get him to stay I yelled without thinking. "What are you so afraid of?!"

He stopped. His hand right above the door knob. He waited before dropping it back down to his side. "I'm not afraid I'm just hesitant."

"Of what?"

He didn't look at me. "Of doing it with you. I'm still a virgin."

My lips parted to say something but I was too shocked to form words. This whole time I'd thought he was experienced. But I'd be lying if I'd said I wasn't happy. He was pure which made him all the more alluring. I suddenly had to urge to take it away from him right then and there despite him opposing me. But that would be cruel. I would be his first and I wanted that more than anything.

He placed his hand on the door knob. "Don't," I said quietly. He twisted but the door wouldn't open. It was locked. He was about to twist the latch but I grabbed his wrist and pulled him away before shoving him to the door. I pinned him there.

"What did I just say?" I said deeply. His eyes met mine, looking taken aback by my actions.

"You really don't want me to leave,' he said while glaring into my eyes.

" Only because I fight for the things love. I'm fighting for you." I reached over to my collar and unbuttoned my shirt till it reveal my chest. I then removed one sleeve. Showing him the cut I'd made with the glass from the mirror. It bled freely and I knew it'd been long enough for him to want a taste of my blood.

His eyes darted to the wound. His lips parted and I could see his fangs sharpening. But he flinched his head away trying to resist his thirst.

"We both know what's going to happen if you don't drink." I warned him.

He clenched my shirt. "I know what you're doing. I'm not going to submit to you. Not this time."

"How can you be so sure? I know your true fears, Gareki. We both know you're just afraid of loving me. You think we won't last because of our differences but right now all I'm asking you is to give me a chance to prove to you that we can be something more despite that."

I fluttered a finger of my blood under his nose. He shook his head, trying to turn away from me. But with one sniff he was hooked.

He couldn't resist anymore. He yanked me to him and bit into my shoulder, a numbing sensation coursing through my arm once he had. I sighed. It felt overwhelmingly good.

Marveling in the feel of his fangs inside of me. After a few seconds he pulled out of me, breathing harshly with blood dripping down one corner of his mouth. I reached a hand up and trailed my thumb over his bottom lip. "Keep calm and get ready," I said softly.

He eyed me. "Get ready for what?"

Soon after those words passed his lips I abruptly turned him and pushed his front to the wall now having his back facing me. I grabbed hold of his tail while pushing my other hand beneath his shirt, feeling up his pecks.

My hand firmly slid down the length of his tail. His nails dug into the wall as a surprised yelp escaped his throat. "No—Y-Yogi!"

I did it again but more slowly. His tail instinctively curled around my arm like a cat's.

He moaned. His expression frowning up with pleasure. The scowl he'd given me earlier no where to be found. I leaned into him till my mouth was near his ear. I could smell his cologne and it intoxicated my senses.

"You told me you weren't going to touch me there." He attempt to pull away but I held him firm against the wall.

"I'm not fair, remember?" I bit his neck before sucking the skin there. Creating a red mark. I pulled him away from the wall before shoving him down onto the bed. He fell on the mattress landing on his back but scrambled to get back to his feet on the left side of the bed. He turned and crawled but I grabbed hold of his ankles and pulled him causing him to fall back down. He clawed at the bed sheets. "Yogi I swear to God. I'm warning you."

I took off his shoes as well as mine. "You're making a bigger deal out of this than it is, Gareki. I'm not going to hurt you or force anything too rash onto you. You need to relax."

"Let me leave," he said roughly. "Then I'll relax."

"Trust me," I said sternly, staring at him seriously as I began to unbutton the rest of my shirt, stripping it off and letting it drop to the floor. "You won't want to leave once we begin."

He pushed himself onto his back and stared at my toned chest and abdomen. I could tell just by the look he gave me he had given up resisting and finally submitted. Just like I knew he would. And he knew it too.

I leaned towards him and connected our lips. He slowly kissed me back. I climbed over him and took off his blazer, throwing it a side before ripping open his button up revealing his tattooed chest and abs.

He pulled away from my lips and gasped against my mouth as I roughly threw off his shirt. I went down on him, trailing light kisses on his neck. He sighed leaning his head away giving me more access to his neck.

"N-no this is wrong." He said breathlessly," I don't deserve this. I don't deserve you." I licked up his neck.

"Yes you do. Even though you can be stubborn and sometimes an asshole," I muttered against his chest. "If you think you don't deserve me than you really don't understand how much I love you."

I licked his nipple gaining a small whimper from him.

I couldn't believe I was doing this to the very person who barely smiled or revealed hardly any of his weaknesses. I felt like I had captured him and would finally see another part of him. How would he react once I pushed inside of him. How would he look when he orgasmed for the very first time.

I admitted to myself that it still surprised me that he was a virgin. But I wasn't. I'd at least done it twice with women before I realized my sexuality was for guys.

"You don't know how badly I want you," I said, between kissing his pecks. You wouldn't be able to comprehend it." My hand trailed the side of his thigh. I held myself back from ripping off the last articles of clothing he had on. I needed to be slow this time.

"After this is all over you will undoubtedly change your mind about not being with me and I'll wait for your answer."

"You're being to presumptuous." He told me. " How can you be sure I'll change my mind? Why are you trying so hard to have me?" He frowned.

"I have a hard time giving up the things I love." I whispered, leaning down to his lips. "And I know you'll change your mind because I know you can't resist me for much longer."

I kissed him deeply. He hesitated before pulling me further into him. Kissing me back like he hadn't done before. I could feel the thunder of affection coursing through him.

"Do it then. Make me change my mind." He said against my lips.

Without a word I kissed him again, feeling up the soft plains of his beautiful body.

His hands moved through my hair, claiming it with a slight clench of his fingers. He licked my lips and I allowed him entrance to meet with my tongue. We fought against each other for dominance.

My hand slipped down his abs, playing with the hem of his jeans before unbuttoning and unzipping them. Slowly.

"From this point on your body is going to be claimed by me," I said seductively, the alcohol I had earlier burning in my stomach setting my mind for the moment at hand.

In the dim lighting of the room I saw a hint of worry and desire in his eyes. He knew what would happen next.

I crawled down until I was sitting before his hips. The hem of his jeans and underwear right in front of me. I pulled his jeans off before curving my fingers in the hem of his black boxers that hugged his member to the point I could see the outline of it. I pulled them down his legs and dropped them to the floor.

I stood there staring at him. My eyes taking in his naked body. The rise and fall of his tattooed chest, the bulk of his biceps, his abs, and his hairless five inch member that sprung up. He kept his eyes on me the entire time. A bit of fear and acceptance written on his face.

I melted and grew hot all over at the sight of him laying there, vulnerable looking and immensely sexy.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" His dark eyebrows knit together.

"You don't realize how perfect you look right now." My expression turned stony.

He eyed me with need. "You're going to make love to me now?"

I responded strait forwardly my voice dropping. "No. . . no this is different." I began unzipping my pants. His eyes transitioning to confusion.

"What are you going to do to me, then?" He muttered lowly.

"I'm going to fuck you. Hard." I dropped both my pants and boxers before climbing on top of him quickly, my mind working fast.

His tail curled away from me but I grabbed it before it went out of reach and began stroking it.

Gareki moaned my name. Turning his face away from me. His eyes closing.

I brought his tail to my lips and licked the length of it. His back arched as he gasped for air. He clenched the red satin sheets. "Don't lick me!" He pleaded.

"Why? Does it just feel too good." A hint of a dark smirk pulled at my lips, watching his lovely reaction. I licked it once more.

"Ah! Stop." He his eyes tightened.

"Sorry, but I don't think I can. I told you, Gareki. I'm claiming your body. You just don't want to admit it feels good but judging by the sounds you're making you don't want me to stop now do you?"

He didn't answer, he just looked up at me with want masking his features but the devil in his eyes told me his secrets.

He breathed heavily as I stroked my hand up and down his tail first starting slowly but I gradually went faster.

His reactions and moans was a sight to behold. I never imagined him like this which was all the more erotic seeing him act this way.

His nails dug into the bed as his gasps became more frantic. I could see his eyes tearing up. I looked down watching his member twitch. And I knew he wasn't far off from cumming. I was ready to see it, curiosity taking over me as I went faster.

His eyes lusting over. "Something's h-happening to me. I can feel it coming! Yogi st-op." He went to get up but I pushed him back down.

He was about to cum but he was so inexperienced he didn't realize it. "You're fine. What's happening to you is completely harmless. Just let it happen."

As soon as I said that he cried out a moan, throwing his head back as his body began to convulse. He tried to say my name but it was choked back.

He trembled vigorously. His moans turning into whimpers as he held the sheets tightly. He shut his eyes, his hair falling away from his face.

I had him trembling like he should and the sight of his orgasm turned me on further.

Bliss shadowed his expression now. I leaned down and planted kisses on his chest. Feeling his shaking body stand still after a moment.

+0+0+0+0+0+

"Just let it happen" he said gently, looking down at me with desire. As if he were expecting something to happen and he wanted to see it up close.

He said it was harmless but I felt the sensation course through me like no other feeling I had before. It prickled my skin like pins and needles, weaving it's way through my entire body. It was closing in , coming closer. I held the bed sheets with shaking hands. The feeling was foreign to me.

It felt numbing and captivating all at once. I felt the strong wave fall over me and everything turned into a mixture of black and red. I closed my eyes choking on air as I threw my head back, my body shook with convulsions and I couldn't stop it.

Yogi's name was on the tip of my tongue but a cry of ecstasy escaped my throat instead in the form of whimpers.

I felt the sensation intensely. My mind blanked and I could only comprehend the contentment of the erotic stimulations flowing through my lower regions. I was afraid of it before but suddenly I enjoyed every pulse of it as it forced it's way out of me.

I didn't want Yogi to stop stroking my tail but he did.

After a few seconds my body stopped trembling and I panted. The feeling subsiding within me. As quick as it had come it left my body the same way.

I breathed heavily, my muscles relaxing. The wave of excitement leaving me breathless. I opened my eyes and stared up at the sealing. My vision blurred before coming into focus.

I laid there wondering what the hell had just come over me. I didn't feel like myself anymore. I felt some how different, like I was someone else.

Yogi dropped my tail. It felt numb but I didn't bother moving it. My eyes averted to his concerned face staring down at me. But with concern he also had a small smirk.

"You okay?"

I blinked. "What the hell just happened?" My voice was weak.

He smoothed a hand against my hair softly. "Just an orgasm. A side effect when a sensitive part of your body gets aroused to the point your body lets it all out, then you cum." He held up his hand after sliding it over my stomach. A white substance slid down his palm. My guess was that was what he meant by "cum". " How'd it feel?" He asked me.

I had to think. My thought process taking a moment to gather the details. It was a mixture of sensations for me."Weird. . . .but good. Very good."

"Good." His smirk dropped. "We're just beginning." He leaned toward me.

"What?" I asked between him kissing me. "We're not done?"

He placed his hand on my jaw and pulled and traced a thumb over my bottom lip. "That was just to get you prepared but the real deal is coming." He whispered meaningfully.

After those words passed his lips the world around me blurred until I felt him licking in places I never would've imagined any one to venture on my body.

His hands touched me skillfully. He'd done this before. With someone other than me. Jealousy and contempt bit at me. Jealousy because at a point in time that person had him all to themselves and contempt because I still felt like I didn't deserve him despite him saying I did.

I shivered as his tongue licked my member before going to lower regions. I was clean, I made sure of that with the maids.

What was I doing with him. Could I continue to love him and change my mind about being in a relationship after this was over. He said he'd wait for my answer. He seemed too confident that I would accept him.

I wanted to be with him. I really did. But my fear over powered every reasoning.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt him insert a finger deep inside of me, curving it around. My breath caught and my eyes widened. The slits in them dilating.

I was at a loss for words. I couldn't think clearly. He pushed another finger inside me and spread my walls. My breath hitched. His actions causing my back to arch ever so slightly.

We were only just beginning. I recalled his last words. What else did he have in store.

A noise of passion left my lips as he hit a spot inside me that made me want to go crazy. But what was making me feel self conscious was his eyes. He kept staring at my face. His stare tore into me as if he could uncover all my secrets. He examined my face closely whenever I moaned or whimpered.

It made me wonder what the hell he was thinking staring at me like that so blankly. I squinted my eyes into a glower, trying to silently get him to quit looking at me.

He looked me strait in the eyes and without warning he shoved a third finger in me way too quickly. I withered with gooseflesh. His touch submersed me in a strong wave of arousal and I wanted more. So much that I wanted to beg him for it.

This wasn't like me at all. What was he doing to me. A crazed smile forced it's way to my lips. His touch made me feel so good.

He saw the look of stimulated euphoria on my face and smirked cunningly sexy. "You can't resist moaning can you?" He asked provocatively, pulling his fingers out until it was down to the last knuckle.

He waited for me to answer but when I didn't he pulled out completely making me sigh in dissatisfaction. I lost my crazy smile.

He teasingly circled his index around my anus. "There's no point in hiding how it feels, Gareki. I could stop here if you're not enjoying it—"

"No!" I cursed myself for saying it so quickly. He smirked down at me as if he had just gotten me to confess a crime. "Wow, I never knew you were already so invested in this."

"I'm not," I said without thinking. It was obvious that I was lying through my fangs.

He shoved the three fingers back into me and I reacted just like he wanted without control. I moaned loudly clearly enjoying it for someone who'd just said they weren't.

"Amazing how you can still resist even after you came all over my sheets. Now how about you tell the truth?" he moved his fingers in and out of me quickly, forcing a groan out of me. I enjoyed the feel of his fingers despite myself. I couldn't help it. My mind slipping further into insanity.

"I'm going to need you to be honest with me from now on. Okay?" He asked lightly.

"Yes!" I blurted in pure bliss. I might as well have gone nuts right then and there.

He pulled out of me and stood up. I laid there feeling empty without him. I was practically craving for the feel of him again. I looked up, my eyes met his chest before looking down at his six inch member standing erect.

The longer I stared at it I put two and two together and realized what he was going to do next. And I wanted him to.

He turned away and walked over to his dresser right across from the bed and picked up something I couldn't see. He turned back and began walking over to me and stopped at the foot of the bed. I saw what he was holding and realized it was the black bow-tie he'd worn tonight.

He eyed me for a minute as if contemplating what he wanted to do with me. I was thirsty for him, to the point I could taste his blood on my lips just like earlier that day.

He appeared gorgeous to me. An overwhelming need filled me. I wanted his hands touching my body again. Claiming what was his.

He read my mind. "Come here." The bass of his voice commanded softly. I pushed myself up without hesitation. A part of my mind compelling my arms and legs to crawl towards him.

Once in front of him he glided my hair away from my face before tying the bow-tie around my eyes. Everything turned pitch black, causing my senses to heighten.

"I'm going to try something." He told me, guiding me further onto the bed. We stopped and I could tell I was in front of the headboard just by how many pillows I felt on my arms.

I felt Yogi's warm fingers slip gently and gingerly down my spine as I stood on all fours. He touched the end of my spine where the base of my tail was and guided his fingers over it.

I shivered. The next place I felt his hand venture was my arse. He felt over it, squeezing lightly, skin to skin contact. I couldn't believe I was allowing someone to touch me this way in all these years.

So it surprised me when he slapped me there, the sound echoing in the silent room."You have no idea how long I've waited to do this to you," he said, possessively. He sounded like a completely different person.

My ass gave a mild sting where he'd slapped me. Oddly it felt more arousing to me than anything.

At that moment I felt something firm press against my entrance. My heart started a steady pace in excitement and apprehension. I reached back and placed my hand on one of my cheeks and spread my arse for easier access to him. "What are you waiting for? Didn't you want to fuck me?" Lust tied in my words."Hard."

I could feel him smirking at me. "Get ready. This might sting." He pushed into me with one go.

I froze, eyes widening as tears found their way into my eyes. Chocked breath passed my parted lips. I full hot throb filled me and I knew it was him deep inside of me.

I was cold blooded but having him inside me felt like fire. It hurt but it was tolerable I could already feel the pleasure of having his heat inside me.

A crooked smile pulled at my lips as I hung onto what little titillating I felt. It drove me wild.

The tears leaked down my face but I could handle the pain. "You're so hot." I managed to say shakily.

"And you're freezing. But you're not hurting me. It just feels odd. Are you okay?" He took of the blind fold after noticing my tears. "I'm going to pull out." He offered hastily but I stopped him.

"No, please. I want this," I pointed out carefully.

His violet eyes stared into my blue-grey. "I don't want to hurt you."

"And you won't. So just move." I let go of my arse cheek.

He paused thinking about it before following through with my request. "Fine. But if you feel more pain you better tell me."

I nodded. He began to move slowly but surely and as time passed the pain melted away. I got used to the heat and it began to lure me into ecstasy.

My tears turned into tears of bliss. It felt amazing. I moaned as Yogi leaned over me, his lips next to my neck where he began licking me.

I heard him breathing from the intensity of us having sex. And just like promised he began to fuck me harder.

I cried out, never expecting myself to make noises like this in my life. I Felt every last hard thrust he gave me. I braced my hands against the head board as it hit the wall constantly with Yogi's hard movements.

I trembled. I'd never felt so good in my life and I wondered why Yogi hadn't come into my life sooner. My nails dug into the board. My mind slipping.

If this feeling kept up I felt like I would actually go crazy.

Every time he moved into me goosebumps threaded my skin.

"D-don't stop!" I gasped. He pushed into me harder, rocking my body forward. Black strands of my hair fell in my eyes, soaking wet with cold sweat leaving my body.

I hadn't thought it was possible for me to sweat. I guessed it was now because of Yogi being inside of me.

His hand moved against the soft puzzles of my chest hugging me to him as he wrapped both strong arms around me, pulling me against him. He continued moving in and out of me quickly. He reached the spot inside me that made my mind stutter with the world around me.

"Oh my God!" I yelled in pleasure. My hands straddled his arms that still wrapped around me.

"You feel so good." Yogi kissed the back of my neck, his heavy breaths warming my nape.

Thrills soared inside of me and I felt the wave start to build.

It built up until I felt it fall over me once more. Yogi intertwined our hands as we came at the same time.

I cried out. I felt warmth burst inside of me as I threw my head back against Yogi's shoulder. He bit my neck again, breath fanning.

I saw red and black shadowing my vision. The pressure closing in around us. I closed my eyes, sucking it in with enjoyment. This feeling we had was so strong. I couldn't fathom anything that could make me feel the same way.

But what did this mean for us.

As I lay there, Yogi hugging me closely as my orgasm flooded over me our time together through both the good and bad, the recent and the old flashed behind my eyes in quick images.

What did this mean for us. I had to ask myself again. For two different people from entirely different worlds traveling through hardships just to reach a goal only to fall in love with each other on the way, but compelled to hold off those emotions just because of a decision. My decision.

My heart knew the right choice I should make. But my mind didn't. I was split in two and I didn't know what to do.

Yogi pulled out of me and just like that, the images disappeared. I sighed quietly as I collasped on the bed. The silky satin sheets cooled at the touch of my skin.

I had so many emotions coursing through me now that I hadn't felt before. Yogi had succeeded in making me feel them. I cried without knowing why.

He laid down beside me. Pulling the red sheets over us. He looked me in the eyes, searching them for something. "Now you feel it, the emotions?" He asked me. The depth of his voice vibrating against my chest.

I nodded. He reached over and wiped my tears away. "Crying doesn't suit you."

I closed my eyes, allowing him to push away my hair from my forehead. "Are your fears gone?"

They were still there. That part wasn't confusing. I reopened my eyes."No," I said.

I could tell by the fall of his eyebrows that he didn't like hearing that.

"What do you want, Gareki?" He whispered emotionally, eyes never leaving mine.

I couldn't think of what I wanted anymore. Two ideas had me mind tied. "I don't know anymore." I whispered back in defeat.

* * *

 **Music Choice—PILLOWTALK—Zayn**

 **Clime On Board, We'll Go Slow And High Tempo**

 **Light And Dark, Hold Me Hard and Mellow**

 **I'm Seeing The Pain Seeing The Pleasure**

 **Nobody But You, Body But Me, Body But Us, Bodies Together**


	42. Climatic

The Ice Castle

Larisa walked out of her bedroom in a long, strapless, black dress. Ice crystals woven at the top. Her feet bare and her inky dark hair falling to her back in waves.

Her tongue ran over the sharp edges of her fangs as she sat at her throne. Icy blue slit eyes watching the door as one of the guards inquired entry.

"Come in." She bellowed.

The large doors opened, revealing a guard. He kneeled before her.

"Your majesty. Both Avia, Seth and the tracking sentinels have returned. They've found someone in Lumines Forest who'd last known about prince Gareki's where abouts."

Larisa's heart lurched with anticipation. Finally, her son would be found and so would that Outsider. "Let them in." She crossed her smooth legs.

The guard turned and waved a hand and in entered both Avia and Seth along with the trackers and a faerie.

Larisa ordered the trackers away. They left the room along with the guard. The large doors slowly closing shut behind them.

Both Avia and Seth stood gripping the faerie under his arms with ice chains on his wrists.

She noticed it right away. "Why is he chained?"

"He attempted at attacking us during questioning," Spoke Seth with despise. His silver eyes leered at the man in his grip.

Larisa moved her eyes towards his sister. "Why is this?"

Before Avia could answer, the faerie interrupted angrily. "Because they forced their selves into my home! Not to mention with weapons raised!"

Seth hissed," Tell the story how it actually happened. You wouldn't open your door, nore would you answer any of our questions. The only one you replied to was seeing prince Gareki a few days ago."

Larisa waved a hand silencing them. She stood from her throne and eyed the faerie. "What is your name?"

The faerie looked up at her with yellow eyes. She got a good look at him now. His hair was a curly dark green quiff. He wore a dark blue silk shirt with black skinny jeans and dressing shoes. He looked young and handsome. "My name your majesty is, Gabriel Lionart. Guardian of the wisps."

She pursed her lips a little. "Is it true that you've seen my son?"

He smiled curtly at Seth. "I'm sorry your majesty, But I'll answer once I'm a free man." He rattled his chains.

Larisa squinted her eyes at him. She needed answers the only thing she could do to get them was to oblige with his request. "Let him go." She ordered Seth and Avia.

Avia raised a hand above the chains and broke the spell causing them to shatter.

"Now answer me, Gabriel." Larisa insisted.

He rubbed his wrists before looking back at Seth with a flirtatious grin. "I get that you're an Avatar and your whole purpose is to threaten those opposed to you. But you might want to simmer down. You're too cute to be mean. No one likes a bad boy. At least not me."

Seth just gave him a dark look. He shoved him towards the queen. "Answer her damn questions before I rip you apart," he growled through grit fangs.

"Relax, will you?" Gabriel lost his grin before looking up at Larisa. "Yes, I did see your son. Approximately twenty-four days ago."

"Is that all you know?" She asked.

Gabriel looked thoughtful. "If I remember correctly he was traveling with your enemy. An Outsider who went by the name of. . .Yogi? That has to be it."

Larisa looked away. So this man had seen her son and the Outsider. Now she just needed details on where they went after crossing paths with a faerie.

"When he came to me," Gabriel began," I'd just gotten word that he'd been banished by you. And now you're searching for him. Why?"

She explained to him everything that happened to her son.

Gabriel stared up at her with disbelief. "He's dead? But that can't be. Maybe there's a mistake. Something about Yogi killing him sounds off to me. When I saw him last he seemed light hearted enough. I doubt he would kill—"

"You judge him by his looks but not by his intentions." Larisa snapped." That was a mistake. Unlike you when I first laid eyes on him I knew he was evil. All Outsiders are. And he's going to pay for what he's done. I'm planning on sending Avia and Seth to assassinate him. Now, I'm going to need you to tell me my son's location in order for that to happen."

Gabriel formed a map in thin air. He was going to help her. Gareki had been close with him and just to know that an Outsider killed his friend left him wanting vengeance too.

"I know exactly where they are," he said dangerously. "But you're going to need me to teleport Avia and Seth there."

"How so?" She asked.

He reached in his pocket. Avia watched him carefully as he did. He pulled out a stone that glowed neon blue. "By this. It's a teleportation stone I found a few days ago in Lumines Forest. As you know they're rare to find. But I got my hands on it and I tested it and it works one-hundred percent."

"It's safe?" Seth cut in.

"Safe as it'll ever be."

"Where are Yogi and Gareki?" Avia pointed at the map.

Gabriel placed the rock back into his pocket and unraveled the map. Using his magic to make it levitate in front of them.

"When they came to my home I gave them a map just like this and judging by that small glow in Kiridian Empire," he pointed at the map where the faint glow was and for sure it was in Kiridian," I can track them because of it. They must still have it."

Larisa nodded. "Seth and Avia, you both know your orders. Bring back my son and don't be afraid to kill whoever comes into your path from killing that Outsider. I want his dead body brought here."

"Yes your majesty." Both of them said as Gabriel folded away the map and brought out the teleportation stone.

"By the time we reach Kiridian it'll be by morning. Expect word from us by then." Gabriel brought the stone up and all three of them flashed away in the portal.

+0+0+0+0+0+

Kiridian Empire

The next morning came in a blur of fogged light from the window. It shadowed my room with the rain clouds of early morning.

A light so mixed in with bright depths I had to blink to regain my vision.

My mind was slow to process the new beginnings of the day. I averted my eyes to the glass that exposed the outside world, obscuring the sky.

Storm clouds had rolled in. Dark and rumbling. I stared at them for a moment and as I did an on slot of last nights events flashed in my mind just like the striking blow of lightning.

I remembered the rush of emotions, the thrill, seduction, the passionate sounds of my comrade bustling in my ears, filling the emptiness in the room. But the most memorable was seeing his face as he came for the first time.

I'd taken his virginity from him and that left me feeling victorious.

Goosebumps rolled up my skin and I wanted to be inside him again. But not now. Now wasn't the right time.

His tears burned in the back of my mind. One of the first times I'd seen him cry without his pride getting in the way. It was both beautiful and unsettling seeing him like that.

I felt like there was some part of him that would allow his weakness to fully take over but also seeing him cry made my chest spasm. It was like seeing a storm when he cried next to me.

So sad and foreboding, but emotional. It broke me seeing him like that. Probably even more than our arguments. And we'd argued plenty of times which was saying a lot.

It was like dark days to me whenever I yelled at him and he yelled back at me. Sometimes I wanted to go in the past and change those moments so they would never happen, maybe even change my words. But that was only wishful thinking.

But last nights events had me up half the night. Not the sex but his melancholic answer after it was done.

He didn't say he wanted me nor did he oppose. But a simple "I don't know anymore".

I'd promised him I'd wait for his answer to accept me. But suddenly Pastel's advice was screaming at me ten times louder than it had when he first told me.

What if death did do us part sooner rather than later and than I'd regret not having Gareki be with me.

I couldn't force him to be with me. And he couldn't force himself to be with me and just forget about his fears and pretend to put his faith in me. That wasn't how he was raised. Because he wasn't used to loving someone.

I never once thought that falling in love would hurt this much. It was taking every part of me just to get it to work between us.

I blinked tears away but they intruded and fell anyway. This was so hard. Harder than any other thing I'd faced in life. I felt like I was being crushed constantly with hope and anguish.

I reached a hand over to Gareki's sleeping form. I'd never seen him look so peaceful. His breathing came in slow and shallow. His features crossed with tranquility. Strands of his soft black hair fell over his long eyelashes.

I marveled at how gorgeous the bone structure of his face looked.

He didn't wake up when I placed gentle fingers on his bicep. I took the chance to feel him once more. Having this moment made me feel like I could at least have him for just a little longer before he woke up and probably ruined the moment. He always fought with himself over his true feelings and most likely he would end up saying something hurtful to me that he didn't mean.

Just like last night.

I gradually trailed my fingers to the sharp curves of his tribal tattoo. They were so defined and artistic with so much depth indented into them.

If someone were to ask me what part of him I loved most it would have to be his tattoos. They weren't just there for show they held much meaning and were the definition of how strong he was.

They curved and swirled in thick inky black lines. Ending in pointed lines.

I heard the growl of the storm outside and soon rain drops pattered against the windows. Making a loud tapping noise.

I felt him stir and retracted my hand from his skin. His eyelids fluttered open. He must've trusted that he was in a safe place considering he didn't wake up when I touched him. I was surprised that he didn't have his glaive at my throat by now.

His iris's looked right at me. He stayed like that for a few seconds before creasing his eyebrows ever so slightly. Realization running clear in his eyes.

He opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself and turned away from me, now laying on his back. The red sheets descending down his chest a couple inches. He closed his eyes. Taking in everything we did last night.

I eyed the art on his chest, both of us still laying naked beneath the covers.

"Did you regret it?" I asked without thinking. The hell was wrong with me. Was I trying to hurt myself more. But his answer was a surprise to me.

"No," he said flatly. "I didn't. Even though I was scared to go that far with you. You managed to take that fear away."

I wanted to know why so I asked him.

"Who am I to say I regret it when you made me feel emotions? I can't explain it. But I feel different because of you. In a good way."

" Did you mean what you said last night? About you not knowing what you wanted,"I tried at a leap of hope. I hoped he would say no.

He turned back to me and noticed the tears. "You've been crying about it, haven't you?" He sounded unsettled knowing he was to blame.

"I just started to." I answered meekly.

He grabbed hold of the covers and threw them off before pushing himself up. The muscles on his back flexing as he did. He walked over to the window.

I couldn't help but to watch his ass sway as he walked.

He looked out at the rain. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "For everything. I can tell just by looking at you how hard it is to keep loving me. But for me with you, it's hard too. It's hard to choose. And you don't deserve that. It's the same thing I told you last night." He placed a hand flat against the window.

Before I could stop myself I left the bed and walked up behind him and placed my hands on his hips. The cold of his skin driving my actions forward. Slowly I slid them up his sides, wrapping my arms around his chest.

"And I told you last night my reasons of why I want to keep loving you and why you do deserve me. But I admit it. I don't know what happens to us from here."

"Are you going to keep waiting for me?" There was a tone in his voice that I could only depict as hopeful.

"Most likely." I sighed." I don't give up that easily."

Silence filled the air for a minute.

"I'm glad. . . you were my first." He suddenly said quietly.

I laid a long kiss on his cold neck. "Me too."

He pulled away from my arms and turned so he was facing me. "I'm going shower and get dressed. And for both of our sakes, I think you should too before we end up in the same state as last night." He gave a curt glance down at my lower regions.

I smiled at his humor of trying to lighten up the mood. "Cute. Real cute."

He shook his head and parted from me. Picking up his clothes from the floor and walked to my bathroom.

"What the hell happened to your mirror?" He asked, flicking on the light. The glow reflected off the glass on the floor.

I moved to my dresser. Shifting through it for something to wear. "My temper got ahead of me after our argument last night," I said.

"That badly?"

"Yes," I said, pulling out a white T-shirt, before throwing it aside. "When I get mad it's hard for me to cool down. It takes longer now because of my element of fire."

Gareki made his way over the glass and shut the door behind him.

A minute later I heard the shower running.

+0+0+0+0+0+0+

I walked out of the bathroom. A towel wrapped around my waist. I rubbed another towel through my wet hair. Looking up at Gareki who was tying on his black Dr. Newton boots on my bed.

He wore a thigh length, sleeveless black and dark blue plaid button up shirt and black, ripped, skinny jeans. Fingerless black gloves hugged his hands.

"Pastel came by while you were showering." He said, letting his leg drop to the ground before lifting his other foot to tie the laces.

"What'd he have to say?" I threw the towel for my hair to the floor before untangling the towel from my waist. It flopped to the floor as well. Exposing my privates. I was comfortable being naked in front of him.

I pulled on a black tank top before thrusting my arms into a faded blue, denim, button up shirt, leaving it open and cuffing the sleeves. Boxers and black skinny jeans. I shoved my feet in dark Dr. Martens.

I reached a hand up and ruffled my wet curls to get them to dry faster.

Gareki stood up from the bed. "That our ship to Maharii Sylus is on it's way. Should be here in the early hours of noon."

"Great," I said, realizing I would be home in a matter of days. I tampered with my amulet. "It's only a matter of time."

He watched me, looking as if he was comprehending something.

I asked," What is it?"

He opened his mouth but paused to choose his words. "Nothing. . .it's just that. . .we're nearly there. When we first started this journey, to me it felt like it would take forever for us to reach the Realm Gates. But now, look where we are."

"It's been rough," I said with reminiscence.

A flash of a peaceful look came to his face as he looked down at his lap. "It has." He agreed quietly.

I opened my mouth to thank him for taking me this far on this journey. I couldn't have done it without his guidance and help. But when I went to speak, my voice caught in my throat.

I blinked in confusion and attempted to speak again. But nothing came out. And before I knew what was happening my amulet levitated up to my face and shined brightly.

Gareki looked up at me with perplexity beginning to crease his features. That was the last thing I saw before abrupt lights struck my eyes in a vision.

Everything was dark and wicked. I could distinctly smell ashes and could see and hear blades flashing and smashing against each other in sickening snaps of medal.

Bodies of different nations running along side each other, fighting and killing.

Shrieks, and cries, were made. But there was this odd sound as if a firework had just been launched into the sky. As if it had been a dud and the fire broke off from the match.

It sounded off loud and clear in my ears. Louder than the rumble going on around me.

And then it hit me. I was standing in the middle of a war that had just begun. Different from the Kiridian war I'd been involved in. Something about it screamed at me to know the truth, to figure it out. To figure out what.

I followed that gut feeling and looked around. Trying to dislodge something that would clue me in. And like a slap in the face, I saw it.

My eyes widened and I lost my will to breathe. There standing tall and dark was the hellish kingdom that belonged to Vileus. Sharp edges and hit towers. The ground was dead with black, cracked dirt surrounding it's perimeter.

A dark grey smog covered the sky like a storm above it. I could taste the bitter rain. I shook my head slowly.

If his castle was there then. . .

I turned the opposite direction and saw my own castle in the very distance. I could just barely make out the black once golden crumbled edges of it's structure. It looked half burnt and like a waist land. While the other half stayed somewhat intact but just slightly.

It looked awful. So very much it made tears surge into my eyes. It looked nothing like the home I'd grown up in for the past nineteen years.

I looked around myself once more and that's when I saw the thing that freaked me out the most.

I saw myself charging forward. Heading right towards the herd of trolls, Gareki at my side running along with me. We both had battle faces on, looking ready to kill and concur. But we weren't the only ones running.

Other nations like I'd noticed before were right behind us, following our lead with weapons raised.

I saw the sea people of Metropolis.

I saw the Avatarians of the Ice Castle.

And I saw the onslaught of men from Kiridian.

All dressed for battle. There were so many of them. As well as there being hundreds of trolls turned by Vileus who charged at them as well.

I watched Gareki yell an order to the Avatarian soldiers. And just like his ability to run fast they all sprinted ahead of everyone else. Following his lead. His glaive was out, the blade shining brightly blue with static.

I watched Vileus's army of trolls. They were once the people who lived in my kingdom. I didn't want him to kill them. There was still a chance to turn them back.

I couldn't speak to stop them and all I could do was watch as a flurry of ice spears flew down on them and stabbed group fulls.

I expected them to fall and parish. But they hadn't. A misty yellow glow left their stiff bodies and slowly turned them into their original forms where they then crystalized into statues. No longer being tainted by Vileus's dark magic.

I wasn't seeing a mirror of myself. This was the future. I regained the fact that this was all just a vision and it wasn't real—yet. But what did this vision mean. It was giving me a message like all the other visions I had.

No. . .it was allowing me a solution. I could kill the trolls but not the innocent people apart of my kingdom. I could purify them into their original forms.

That had to be it.

Suddenly with a fast rush of wind and the spinning of the world around me. I felt and saw the flash of light spark in front of my eyes again and suddenly I could see Gareki standing before me. Back to the present.

He blinked up at me with his arms crossed. An expectant expression on his face. "You saw something, didn't you?"

I leaned against the dresser. Mind buzzing from everything I'd seen. It had been intense and so much to recall on. I didn't know where to start explaining.

"Yeah, I did see something. I saw us in a war, in the future. We were back in my realm. Fighting Vileus's army. There was so many of them and so many people who were on our side, fighting along with us. But that wasn't the most surprising. We can actually purify my people by just killing the dark spell casted on them. There's a way to save them after all."

He frowned up at me. "You said people were on our side, fighting?"

I nodded. "People we've crossed paths with. Soldiers from your kingdom, Metropolis and Kiridian. Some how they all got involved."

"I get why Kiridian and Metropolis were fighting with us," he said." They owed us a debt for helping them. But my kingdom? That doesn't make any sense. Why would they fight? I'm banished and you're supposed to be their enemy. They have no reason to help us."

I nodded. "I know. It's weird. But maybe something made them. Something that'll happen in our future will make them help us."

"If you saw it in your future, then it's bound to happen," he said.

An idea hit me. "You were right, though. We do need an army. I just need to talk to Nai about this and Rowen. They both owe us for helping them and so does Metropolis." I moved past him towards the door. "I'll have to figure out how to contact Metropolis, but maybe Nai knows."

"I'm going with. I'll talk to Nai and you find Rowen." He offered.

"Right." I agreed and we both split up, heading in opposite directions.

I was glad the vision had appeared when it did. We would've left Kiridian without any backup to fight against the massive army Vileus had waiting for me.

Seeing that vision made me believe we had a chance at winning over what was mine. Vileus would surly have it coming for him. And I wasn't talking about the hundreds of soldiers on my side to help me fight. I was talking about myself. I was stronger than I was since our last meeting.

He would pay for stealing from me.

I made my way down the long corridor before taking the grand stair well down.

I looked around at the big space. The party from last night showed no signs of happening. The maids had cleaned up spotlessly.

I found myself feeling a pinch of envy for those who had enjoyed the party for the rest of the night. While I got into an argument with Gareki. But in the end. . . it wasn't all bad.

I'd gained something from him worth while.

I walked through the main hall that intersected with the ball room. I suspected Rowen to be in his bedroom.

But when I came to his door and knocked. I didn't receive an answer. I knocked again and waited a moment before calling his name.

Was he somewhere else in the castle.

I took a step back and turned to leave but before I could go, I saw a foggy mist rising up like smoke from the crack beneath his door.

I gave it a cautious stare before crouching and slowly pushed my fingers into it. It wasn't hot like fire smoke. It was cold fog from ice.

Warning bells went off in my head. It was unusual for it to be this cold in a castle that was in the desert.

And as if the fog hadn't been enough to warn me that something was wrong. The door slowly crusted over with frost.

It made cracking sounds as it slithered over the hard wood door.

I stood up and clenched the door knob. My hand turning red as I channeled heat into my palm to melt away the frost. I threw the door open and looked around. And what I saw shocked me.

His room was dark and encased in thick ice. Every surface was covered in it. And in the corner I saw Rowen standing up, frozen into a statue. His hand settling on his sword as if he were about to defend himself before he'd been turned.

"Oh my God," I said slowly. Fog leaving my mouth. I moved quickly over to him and placed my hands on his frozen body. The ice felt thicker than it looked. But I could melt it.

My hands grew hot. Fire was about to engulf them but a freezing jab on the back of my neck jolted me and I couldn't move. My entire body felt shock waves of ice chilling through me.

A presence stood behind me. I couldn't tell who it was but when the person leaned into my ear and whispered realization came to me in a breath taking way.

"Who would've thought you would come strait to us." Seth's voice ran deep in my ear and he clenched his frigid fingers harder around my neck before lifting and throwing me out of the room.

I hit the ground hard. My back sliding against the floor until I met up with the wall.

Pain bit at my muscles, but mostly my neck. I opened my eyes only to be met with blurred vision.

What the hell was Seth doing here. And why did it seem he'd been looking for me. And if so, how did he know I'd be here in Kiridian. What did he want.

So many questions ran through my head. But one thing was clear. Judging by the way he spoke to me he wanted me dead. Which didn't surprise me. I already knew he hated my existence.

His darkly dressed figure came into view, as he advanced at me. Two more sets of legs moved on either side of him. My vision cleared just in time when I looked up to see Avia and Gabriel standing over me with menace written all over their faces.

I was completely confused. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

Gabriel shook his head. His green hair darker than I remembered. But then again it had been a while since I'd last seen him. Most likely it'd been that way before.

"You're guilty, Outsider," He said with hate. His yellow eyes burning into me.

"What?" Was the only word I got out before Avia clenched me by the neck, raising me and shoved me hard against the wall. Her machete in the other hand reached to my face.

"You killed him!" She yelled. "Why?! I trusted you. And Gareki did too enough to protect you. But you let him die and now in Queen Larisa's name you're going to die for your sin!"

Gareki. This was all about him. Of course. But they thought he was dead and that I killed him. I remembered the day when both Kagiri and Kiharu had hit Gareki with fire and he had died before we could reach Kiridian. They must've been mistaken by that. His death was my fault but it wasn't intentional like they thought. It was both Kagiri and Kiharu who were the real killers. "You have it wrong. I didn't—"

"Save your breath at lying." She spat, pushing the blade to my cheek. "Tell us where his body is."

I looked at all of them. They stared back at me. I couldn't explain the truth to them like this. My hand formed a ball of light and I threw a sun burst spell at both Gabriel and Seth. Hitting them square in the face, blinding them with the brightness.

Avia clenched my neck tighter before beginning to freeze the skin there. But she didn't get far. I lifted my legs and pushed them against her stomach, causing her to fall back.

I dropped to my feet and she lurched to her hands and knees before raising a hand at me. Her palm glowed blue and darts of sharp ice formed in thin air. Pointing at me.

She slammed her hand to the ground and all the darts went flying at me. "Wait!" I yelled. My amulet forming a dome shield around me. The darts all smashed on impact.

"I need to know why, Yogi!" She jumped to her feet and speedily ran at me. Her eyes and sleeve of tribal tattoos on her left arm glowing. She moved her arm out and swung it aside causing a strong, cold breeze to push against me.

She yanked her fist back and threw it at my face. Frost coating her knuckles. And when her punch connected with my cheek I felt ice prickle hard at my skin. It burned as I flew backwards.

The air rushing past my ears before I hit the ground, rolling onto my front.

Her heavy black combat boots closed in. She stopped in front of me. "Why would you kill him when he was only trying to help you?"

I lifted myself up and glared at her. "Larisa told you that didn't she? That I killed him."

Her face hardened and it was hard to believe that she was the only Avatar that had helped me escape from the Ice Castle. She had been on my side. But looking at her now I only saw betrayal directed at me.

"She's wrong," I said harshly earning a knee slam to the face. I fell back down. My nose going numb with pain. I tasted blood.

Avia clenched her hands into fists. "You dare question Queen Larisa?"

"I didn't kill him. You know that," I defended roughly. "How does that make any sense? From the first time that we met did I seem a threat to anyone, Avia? I'm good. You were the only one who saw that in me."

She suddenly looked startled and took a step back from me. "I don't know what I see anymore. I was naive. I trusted too easily."

I got up to my feet and spoke softly,"You can trust me again."

She stared at my face. Searching for something. For a second she looked considerate but then the look flashed into hatred. "No." Her voice was dark. She ran at me, fist raised.

But I caught it. Stifling a noise of pain when I felt the bite of frost eat at my hand. She threw another punch but I caught that one too. I clenched both her fists in my grasps so she wouldn't pull back and looked her strait in the eye. "I wish it didn't have to be this way."

Her eyes widened and I head-butted her. Her eyes fluttered closed and her body went limp as she began to fall back. I wrapped my arms around her before she hit the ground and placed her gently on it's surface. "Forgive me." I whispered.

I closed my eyes and stood up. I heard fast running from behind but was too late to turn when strong arms wrapped around my neck from the back.

"What did you do to my sister?!" Seth hissed, closing off my air circulation. I clenched my jaw and reached back. My hands fumbling to find his face.

"I never trusted you." He seethed in my ear, arms hugging tighter around my neck and I choked. " The moment I laid eyes on you and smelled your blood I knew you were trouble. I wanted to kill you that night you first came here. Let you bleed out and allow the willow beasts to feed on you. But no! You got my sister to trust you and now our prince is dead because of you! I fucking hate you."

I found his face finally and concentrated fire to my finger tips. Burning his skin. He yelled and jerked back from me, holding his face with a hand while his other shot out at me.

He yelled, " Die!" Streaks of long jagged ice erupted from the floor, heading towards me.

I raised my hands and a surge of fire left them. Melting away his attack. He looked at me with half surprise.

"You hit me with the sun element and now fire. Don't tell me that you're—"

"A guardian." I finished.

He growled at me. "I don't believe in that!" He took his hand away from his face and whipped out his bow and arrow. He placed one onto the wire and pulled back. The arrow swarmed with powerful magic just from his touch.

Before I knew it, they were all surrounding me. Avia and Gabriel with their hands glowing. Ready to cast attack spells.

I wasn't going out like this. My hands ignited with flames and I held them up in defence.

They all began to attack. But three swirling balls of blue static flew out of no where and hit all three of them. They all fell to the ground. Groaning with pain.

"What the hell was that?" Seth moved to his feet and glared at me. "Don't tell me you've got a third element up your sleeve." He lifted his bow and arrow and was about to shoot me but a voice made him freeze abruptly.

"Stop." It echoed in my ears.

Avia and Gabriel who'd just gotten to their feet froze as well as myself. I couldn't move at all. I felt paralyzed. The only thing I could move were my eyes.

Down the hall I heard footsteps walk towards us, casually slow. When I looked up I saw Gareki's purple eyes staring right at me as he walked past me. His tattoos had covered his body again with that same glow of purple.

He then turned to the three intruders. His dark eyebrows creased at the sight of them. And their eyes looked shocked to see him standing alive.

Gareki stopped right in front of Seth. The arrow he held was pointed right at me but with Gareki in the way it was pointed at him.

Gareki touched the arrow, tracing his finger down it's shaft all the while glaring daggers into Seth's eyes. "Before I ask what the hell are all three of you doing here I'm going to ask what you were planning on doing with this arrow? You were going to hit Yogi, right? Talk, Seth."

As commanded Seth gained back his voice. But no one else had, including me.

"I was," he responded, staring vehemently at me."Your mother sent us here to kill him and retrieve your dead body." His icy silver eyes moved back to Gareki's face. "But you're not dead. How?"

"Why would I be dead?" He snapped." And why would she send you here to kill him?"

"She saw a vision of you being killed because of him. She wanted us to get vengeance on her behalf. But how are you not dead. You were burned, right?"

"I was. But I'm alive because of his blood." Gareki looked back at me.

The look on Seth's face turned into disgust. "What?" He hissed. "You feed on him? He's the enemy. His blood is evil—"

Gareki turned and came face to face with Seth, a threatening closeness that set them both on edge. "You got a problem with that?" He asked lowly between tight fangs.

"Yes!" Seth didn't back down. "I have a problem with that. It's sick. You played right into the enemy's hands. And whose to say you're not evil just like him? You probably already joined the Outsiders."

"I did what I had to do in order to survive. You don't have the right to speak to me this way. Either you think I'm your enemy or not, I'm still Larisa's son. With royal blood in my veins. I rule over you!"

"Says the guy who betrayed us—"

Gareki acted fast. He grabbed a fist full of Seth's hair and flung him head first to the ground. It cracked where his face impacted.

"You talk to goddamn much." Gareki breathed, letting go of his head and stood up strait. He looked at us. "You all can move and speak but don't try anything with each other or with me or you'll end up like him."

We all could moved again. Both Avia and Gabriel stared at Gareki like he was a ghost.

"Is he dead?" Avia asked.

As if on que, Seth stumbled to his feet. Blood leaking from a cut on his forehead. Gareki eyed him warily before turning to me, his purple tattoos shrinking and turning black once more. "Are you okay?"

"Now that you're here." I breathed in relief. "They wouldn't believe anything I was saying."

"How did all this happen?" Nai asked. I turned only to see him leaning against the wall behind me. "Nai?"

"He's been standing there ever since I confronted all of you," Gareki said. "He's been with me when we heard the sound of a fight going off from upstairs. I explained to him why we needed his army and he's agreed to let his soldiers travel with us to Maharii Sylus. He also gave a call to both Sirena and Asherrot. Their sending their soldiers and they'll be here by the time we dock the ship to leave."

"Thanks for following through with that," I said before answering Nai.

I explained to him how this had all started. To where I found Rowen frozen in his room and how I'd been ambushed by all three intruders." Some where between explaining Rowen had been unfrozen by Gareki. He sat shivering and glaring at Avia. My guess was that she had done it to him.

I explained to him why they had come here.

"They must've snuck in from his room," I finished.

"That makes sense. A window sounds like a logical place," Nai said, walking up besides me and stared at Avia, Seth, and Gabriel.

"You all came here to kill Yogi, to avenge you're Queen's loss. But Gareki stands before you alive. You no longer have any purpose to be here. Leave my castle at once. Don't come back."

Seth set his jaw before walking up to Nai in a dominating way.

Gareki stepped into his path and shoved him back. "That's close enough." His eyes glowed blue and so did Seth's. They both growled at each other. Sound vicious.

I thought punches were going to be thrown but Seth turned away, glaring at me one last time with a flick of his tail.

"I'm glad you're alive, Gareki," Gabriel said, meaningfully.

Gareki glanced at him. "And it's nice to know that one close friend would try to kill my guardian link,"he returned bitterly.

"We thought you were dead." Avia spoke up. "Of course we would kill the person who was involved in your death—"

"Hold on." Seth held up a hand to silence his sister as he gave Gareki an odd look. "What did you just say? A guardian link?" His silver slit eyes turned to me.

"They're guardians," said Rowen, continuing to shiver.

"Whoa." Gabriel gasped but both Avia and Seth looked confused.

"Guardians are just legends," Avia said.

"No." Gareki lifted up both hands. His left snapping with static and his right chilling over with frost. "They're real. You—Avia and Seth and even me just didn't know it because we were made to think that way. Larisa didn't tell us—the entire kingdom about the heroics that the guardians did for this entire realm back in the Dark Ages. We had to hear it from other people outside our kingdom."

"They're heroes. Everyone knows about the guardians," Nai said. "Why didn't she? I know her birth originated around the Dark Ages."

"She has to know," Gareki said. "I'll need to ask her at some point—"

"We're all missing out on the big picture here." Seth interjected coldly. He looked at Gareki. "We didn't come here to chit chat about why Queen Larisa kept quiet about guardians being real." He stepped up to him. "We came here to take you back home not to find out about all these confessions about you and this Outsider. Next thing you know there'll be a confession about you two screwing each other."

Silence filed the hall. Long and awkward.

Gareki and I didn't say anything which made Seth's face turn stony. He eyed us suspiciously.

Avia gaped in shock as realization hit.

Gabriel looked torn in two.

Rowen quirked his lips. Silently being understanding and accepting. All the while Nai looked uncomfortable.

"Um—" Rowen began but instantly was cut off by Seth.

"Well great." He blew up. "First you're blood sucking this Outsider, then he's you're guardian link, and now you're both fucking each other!" He shook his head in disgust at Gareki who gave him a hard unnerved scowl. "These confessions just keep coming. You love him don't you?! Don't you!?" He shoved Gareki hard and that's when my temper snapped. I lunged for him and punched him in the nose.

"Don't touch him!" I roared.

Next thing I knew everyone was yelling at each other.

Nai stepped out of the fight as Rowen held me back from getting another punch in.

Gareki and Seth were fighting fist to fist while Avia tried to break them up with Gabriel's help.

"Stop it! Both of you!" Avia screamed, pushing her brother back. She yanked on his shirt so he could focus on her and not Gareki. "We only came here to get him back. Not to get into a fight."

"I'm not going back!" Gareki yelled with a bloody lip.

"You have to. Your mother wants you home no matter what." Avia tried to reason.

"Good," Seth spat, having a bruise under his eye and a bleeding nose. "Let him stay and rot with that damn Outsider. Once a trader always a trader."

"Fuck you, Seth." Gareki cursed. "I'll only go back unless she agrees with a deal." He glanced at me with lit eyes and I knew what he was implying. He was trying to get her to agree to sending us soldiers from his kingdom, but if he did that he would have to go back home. But I didn't want him to leave me. What was he thinking. But again his eyes were implying me something.

They told me to trust him. And I did. I'd seen him in my future vision running along side me in the upcoming war. He wasn't leaving my side.


	43. The Deal

I pushed Gabriel's hands off of my chest as I leered at Seth standing across from me. Avia held her arms against him. Not trusting he wouldn't lung at me when she let go.

His eyes stared hard right into mine. Unwavering.

He was really something. He was always reaching for things to be his way despite my higher status. He didn't care that I was a prince intitled to charge over him. He saw me as someone to walk over—ignoring the consequences of his actions when he did. He wasn't this way with my mother who had way more intimidation and power in her grasp.

He followed her orders easily. Because he was afraid. But he obviously wasn't of me.

He was risking himself on thin ice if he thought I'd just let him speak to me like we were on the same level. Like I wasn't the one out of both of us who didn't have royal blood flowing through my veins.

"Agree with what deal?" He asked. His tone heavy with disgust.

I stepped past Gabriel. I tasted my bleeding lips and instantly wanted to punch his face in for hitting me. He had no right to do that.

Gabriel eyed me warily as I moved past him. He knew I was still on edge about Seth's actions and stood tense as if he was ready to tackle me in case I started our fight back up.

"As much as I don't want to speak to her, this is all business and I really need her approval. There for I don't have any choice but to ask her."

His lips pulled into a snarl. "So you need our help? That's what you're saying?" He sounded like he didn't want to assist me. Either that or he didn't want anything to do with me. I could tell ever since he found out about me being Yogi's guardian link, and about us having sex with each other and me feeding off of him, he lost every ounce of respect for me. He probably hated me as much as he did Yogi.

But did I care. No. The ass hole could hate me all he wanted just as long as he didn't lay another finger on me or Yogi.

"Exactly. We need an army. A big one for what's coming," I replied.

"Why?" Gabriel asked. A clap of thunder rumbled from outside as soon as the words passed his lips.

We all paused for a few seconds before I spoke in a harshly quiet voice. Loud enough for them all to hear. "I'm sure Gabriel, Seth and Avia all of you know that that amulet that's hanging from Yogi's neck is important and if you don't know then let me elaborate.

" Yogi and I have been on a none stop mission for the past twenty-five days trying to get to the Realm Gates all for the sake of saving his corrupted kingdom that's been taken over by some dark lord, Vileus. He only managed to take over half of Yogi's kingdom, since he has only one half of that amulet. But by how much time we've spent here I'd say his kingdom is almost completely taken over by dark magic. We need to go to his realm and connect the amulet back together in order to purify and dislodge Vileus's rein. If we don't, then the rest is obvious."

"How do you know you'll need an army?" Avia dropped her hands slightly from Seth's collar.

"It doesn't happen often," Yogi began, with a cross of his arms. His face pulling into a dour expression," but I have visions. They warn me and just recently I realized they can show me the future. And what I saw was hectic. Vileus had so many soldiers. We need all the help we can get in order to win my kingdom over."

Avia stared at him. Her eyebrows curving into a pitiful expression. Yogi noticed and pulled on a soft tone of voice. "You have to trust me again. You were wrong to believe that I killed Gareki. I'm not the bad guy you were led to believe me to be."

Seth glowered at him all the while Avia looked thoughtful. She closed her eyes, pulling away from Seth and sighed. "You're right. I was wrong." Her eyes opened. "I was right to trust you when we met so I trust you now."

A hint of a smile pulled at his lips but broke once Seth made another outburst. "You're kidding me, right? Avia? How could you trust him? Don't you realize that this is all fucked up?"

She took a step back and eyed him. "It isn't. Gareki's alive. Queen Larisa was mistaken. And Yogi isn't evil like you think. Don't you understand that he could've been and killed Gareki? But here he is standing before us in the flesh. It's clear to me that Yogi isn't evil blooded."

He shook his head in denial, starring accusatory at me. "No," he said harshly. " I stick to my beliefs. I don't trust him or Gareki." He passed her and walked up to me. In the corner of my eye I saw Yogi's face harden at Seth's close proximity to me.

"You've changed. What happened to the cold hearted prince who ruled over our kingdom? Now you're with an Outsider—our main enemy. I can't forgive you for that. I can't even address you as my prince. I look at you as scum now."

Without meaning to I found myself laughing. A soft chuckle that rattled my shoulders and filled the empty space around us. I hadn't laughed like that in forever.

He looked startled and yet angry. "You think this is funny?"

Just like that I lost the humor and my laughing died as well as the smile. My mouth was a thin line and I gave him a dark look. "I do. I find it very funny. You honestly think I care about how you think of me? You underestimate me. Because when Larisa banished me she left me to venture into a whole new world of opportunity." I gave Yogi a knowing look before averting back to Seth. "I'd rather live without being addressed as a prince than live in that heartless trap of a kingdom."

He took a step back from me. His lips tightening. "I don't even know you anymore." His voice was deeply incredulous. "You disgust me." He turned on his heel and grabbed Avia's wrist before ordering Gabriel to teleport them back to the Ice Castle. " We're out."

But Gabriel stayed put and looked at me. I could tell he didn't want to leave. Just by his stature I understood he wasn't going anywhere without me.

Tough luck for him. He, Avia and Seth had caused enough havoc with their presence being here. I wanted them gone. I'd have to figure out some other way to communicate with my mother for the deal to be issued. I'd initially had a thought to form a bond with Avia and Seth in order to speak with her. But judging by Seth's temper towards me. I hardly saw my idea coming to action.

I nodded my head towards Seth and spoke to Gabriel. "Go. You're trespassing. Nai's already given you the insist to leave."

Avia pulled free from Seth."I'm not going anywhere. I want to help Yogi save his kingdom."

"What?" He asked, spinning around to face her. "No. I'm not allowing that. What if Queen Larisa asks what happened to you?"

"You, me and Gareki will explain to her what the situation is. But either way, I'm not leaving."

He groaned. "Are you kidding me? This isn't the time to be naive, Avia."

I thought up an idea and stepped forward. Maybe we could form a bond after all. "If she wants to stay and help then you're obligated to do so too. You want to protect her don't you? Considering you don't trust me or Yogi. But if you stay then you have to form a bond with me to communicate with my mother."

I knew he was compelled to stay and follow through with my plan. He couldn't leave his sister. His protection over her out weighed everything else.

Seth looked between me and Yogi with a glare of cynicism masking his pale features, before sagging his shoulders in defeat. He asked his sister," You're planning on going all the way to Maharii Sylus and into his realm?"

"I'm going all the way," she said adamantly. "How else am I supposed to help him get his kingdom back?"

He gave one last cautious glance at Yogi before bringing his hostile glare onto me. "Fine. We'll form a bond and I'm coming with you on this mission, but don't think this changes things. I still won't trust you."

I replied flatly," I wasn't planning on you to."

I looked at Nai. "I know you wanted them to leave, but what I need from them is important. They're my responsibility now. In the mean time while they're here I'll keep an eye on them."

He nodded after a thought. "I hope you do. The last thing I need is for another close member of my family to be frozen."

Rowen still dripped and shivered with cold droplets of ice water from his frozen form.

Yogi came up to me and said lowly for my ears only," Are you sure about this? The whole idea of having Seth tagging along with us for the rest of our mission makes me wary drama will start. Whose to say he won't kill me in my sleep?"

"He won't," I said coolly, glancing harshly in Seth's direction. "Besides, having him and Avia with us is leading us up to something greater. We need that army, Yogi. You out of all of us should know that."

His jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth, with a hard mask shadowing his face. Another rumble of thunder echoed from outside. "I know." His voice was grave, and for a split second I got a sense of what nightmarish images he had seen in his vision.

I blinked away the sudden rush before facing Seth and Avia. " let's get this over with."

"Let's." Seth insisted.

I removed my fingerless, leather gloves and shoved them in my pocket before lifting a hand to my mouth. I bit down, drawing blood as my fangs sunk into my flesh. I did the same to my other hand and watched as they both did the same.

In order to form a bond. Avatarian blood needed to be shed and joined with others of the same race. And all members attending needed to focus on one main location. In this case it was the Ice Castle.

I joined hands with them and they did the same with each other. We stood in a three-person circle.

I felt the cold touch of their blood mixing with mine. I channeled my mind on one main thing. Picturing images of the ice Castle in the back of my head.

I closed my eyes. Everything around me suddenly becoming blurred in a white, hazy glow. A rush of wind echoed in my ears. Becoming louder until I no longer could interpret the people around me.

And just like that, it stopped all at once.

The detachment of both Avia and Seth's hands became clear to me. I opened my eyes and was met with the translucent, solid walls of thick ice that belonged to the entrance of my kingdom.

I looked around as all three of us stood on the bridge, standing before the large gates of the entrance.

Everything appeared the same to me from the gelid temperature, the layers of solid ice marking out the empty distance, the rocky snow mountains in the far perimeter, purple sky, and lastly the overwhelmingly large castle right in front of us.

I was home. I was here but not entirely. Only my conscience had traveled. And so did Avia and Seth's. That's how bonds worked. They never fully sent you to the location. Only your mind.

Even though I could feel my body and see it, we were all practically ghosts.

"What are you going to say to her?" Avia stepped beside me. Her blue eyes staring right into mine.

Seth said harshly," exactly. What are you planning on saying first thing? I hope you at least greet her warmingly considering she's been worried about you."

This was news to me. I found it laughable. No way could she have cared so much as to worry about me. She hadn't done it when I was here before my banishment. She'd tossed me out like I was the easiest thing to let go of.

But at the time I could understand her reasons for that. She thought Yogi was the bad guy and I had willingly helped him. That was a traitorous move in my peoples eyes because of their hatred for Outsiders.

But still, she had no excuse for the way she'd treated me during the long period of time I'd been living with her under this castle's roof. Not an ounce of caring and now suddenly it was just their. I was highly skeptical of her transition of emotions for me.

"It doesn't matter," I replied plainly." We're here for business. That's it. And if either of you say something out of line. Then don't think there won't be consequence."

Seth crossed his arms, glaring ahead while Avia nodded.

I looked forward again. "Let's go." I stepped clean through the gate. My body feeling light as air as it passed through the solid ice. I stepped out on the other side with Seth and Avia following my lead.

We walked further through the entrance. Moving undetected through the inner borders of the walls now surrounding us.

Just like I remembered, sentinels were standing on the higher structure of the wall, looking out with weapons held. None of them noticed us. We were invisible to their eyes. I'd made sure that once we'd made the bond that only my mother could see and talk to us.

We passed through the second entrance that led into the castle.

I kept walking. Scrutinizing every thing. Trying to see what had changed and what hadn't.

To my expectations nothing had. The solid white walls of ice were still engraved with brick patten. The purple rose glass windows were still filtering in the dim glow from outside. The halls were still long and directional. The floors still were hard and reflective like a mirror. And it was still beyond freezing every where.

It was like I hadn't left for twenty-five days.

The three of us passed an arch way and came to a wide open space with two attached halls. One of them having a staircase. I remembered the night like it was yesterday. This was where I had snuck out from the guard's break room and was caught with Yogi's sword by my mother.

She questioned my motives, but I had made a break for it down this hall just as she sent guard's after me.

And to think that that night was my last night of being here.

We continued down the hall on the left and came to the intimidating doors of the throne room. Two guards were stationed on either side of it.

But yet had a thousand-point stare straight ahead, not even noticing us.

I stopped before the doors and gathered my thoughts." So this is how it's going to go. I do all the talking. The last thing I need is for a fight to start."

I eyed Seth. "You got that?"

He creased his face into a scowl. "Why are you asking me—?"

"Because you're the main one I don't trust to keep quiet about everything you just found out between me and Yogi."

"It deserves to be heard." He spat lowly. "She's your mother."

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"The fact that she should know what her own son's been doing since his banishment. It's worse that you feed on that human but now you plan to keep it concealed from your mother." He stepped up to me, both of us coming face to face as he spoke quietly with hate," you had a choice and yet you made the wrong one."

I gave him a black look. My jaw clenching.

"I had no goddamn choice!" I snapped in his face. "Don't act like you understand the struggles I went through! I'm asking you this one time to shut up! I decide what I want to say to her—not you."

I turned to face the doors and walked through them, coming into the throne room. The first thing I noticed was that everything had fallen silent.

The sound of my outburst rung almost mute in my ears.

I walked forward. Heading strait for the empty throne. My mother's silhouette stood behind it, her back to me as she stared out the overbearing window.

Her silver dress running long behind her to the floor. Her pale skin sticking out because of the inky, long, black strands of hair that reached her mid-back.

Avia stepped next to me as Seth stuck a few feet away to my side. Their footsteps clicking louder than mine.

Larisa turned to the sound. Her eyes fell instantly on me. The black slits dilating. She slowly turned to face us. Her face looked stricken with surprise.

I shoved my hands into my pocket. Keeping my eyes on her but my face was passive.

She blinked a few times as if she thought she were seeing things. But after a few seconds of realizing that my presence was here and I wasn't a ghost coming back from a corps—she moved towards me. Patting down the stairs with bare feet.

She stopped in front of me. Her icy eyes staring deeply into mine. "Gareki. . ." she whispered, her voice wavering ever so slightly. Her hand made a move to touch my cheek, but the contact slipped right through.

She pulled away. Dismay obvious in her expression.

"It's a bond." I finally said, quietly.

Her full lips quirked, trying to hide her disappointment. "Of course it is." Her hand dropped to her side. She eyed me, taking in my appearance. "I thought you died. That Outsider was responsible. You have no idea how much I've regretted banishing you. But if you hadn't of helped that damn Outsider. . ."

She trailed off but I knew what she was leading up to.

She looked at Seth and Avia. "Did you do it? Did you kill him—?"

"No," Seth grumbled with a cross of his arms and a glare in the opposite direction.

"And we won't," Avia spoke up.

Larisa pulled her brows together. "I gave you both specific order to kill him. Do you not realize the mistake you've done for not following my orders?" Her voice pitched with anger.

"They're not following your orders." I quipped. "They're following mine."

She whipped her head back to me. "What?"

"You were mistaken," I continued," Yogi, that Outsider didn't kill me. Leaders of the Fire District did. How could you have told them that he was to blame? You weren't their when it happened."

Ever since both Avia and Seth had stepped into Kiridian and claimed that Yogi had killed me all because of my mother saying he did. It crossed my mind that it didn't make sense for her to know that. I was all the way in Dampis when it happened and she was here. It wasn't logical for her to know what had happened to me being that wide of a distance gap.

I had meant to elaborate that with Seth and Avia, but I was too busy trying to keep them from killing Yogi and my mind had slipped from the question when Seth started blowing up at me because of my relationship with Yogi.

Her face fell into sincerity. " I saw it in a vision."

I paused. A vision. Since when had she been able to have visions. I unexpectedly got the sense that her having visions was a match to me having images of her face every now in then flash into my head.

This whole time I'd been confused about why it was happening but. . .maybe now I had my answer.

"You saw me die in Dampis during Yogi's and my fight with the Fire District leaders but you didn't see them. Your vision cut to the part where Yogi had froze because of his amulet breaking and I was hit by fire because of that. It was his fault but he didn't kill me. They did. Yogi is innocent."

Her face turned stony. "I find that hard to believe."

"Why?" I asked. "Because he's an Outsider. Not all of them are evil like we think. That's one thing out of many that I've learned during my banishment with him. But why am I just now learning about you having visions of me?"

"They're new to me. We have a link with each other Gareki since you are my son. I made sense of it a few days ago."

"Well that helps me understand but still, what you think of Yogi being the bad guy is completely wrong. I'm standing here alive, even though you can't feel me you can sense my presence. That's proof enough that he didn't kill me nor will he ever. I trust him."

she shook her head and turned from me, giving me her back. " You say that they aren't evil but remember all that they've done to our people, plus other kingdoms. They killed your father. You're just going to let that go?!"

My stern expression fell slightly. No way in hell was I going to let that go. My people may have not expressed emotions toward each other but still, we were all connected. Made with the same blood. If one died then a part of us would die too. I wouldn't let my father's death pass me.

"I'm not going to let that go. But Yogi is different. Believe me. He's proven it."

She turned to face me again. "I still don't trust or like him but for your sake, his life is spared. But now, I'm going to need you to come home."

I shook my head slowly. "I can't do that."

Her face turned paler than it already was. She looked between Avia and Seth for an answer. "Why?"

"He's a guardian," Seth said.

I threw a side glare his way. I wanted to be the one to mention that.

My mother darted her eyes back to me and they were wide. Her lips parted but no words escaped.

"I told you to keep your mouth shut." I growled at Seth who just gave me an aloof glance.

She cocked her head at me, searching my face once more. "You couldn't be. It's not possible. They don't live anymore."

"They do." I turned back to her." I spoke to the last guardians that'd been here since the Dark Ages. They saved this realm. But they each passed on their titles."

Larisa blinked from the surprise and spoke to me. "You mean to tell me that you're a guardian. Not just a guardian but a descendant of one."

"You need proof?" I asked.

She nodded once. I lifted my hand up and focused both elements in one. Two revolving balls of blue light levitated over my palm. A ball of ice and of electricity. "Everyone in The Arcial Realm knows that only one element belongs to one person. Only a guardian can harness two. You believe me now?"

I dispatched my elements with a clench of my hand, causing them to disperse with sparks of static and cold fog.

She stepped up to me. Still giving me that astonished look that I hadn't seen her do before. "If you're a guardian than you must have a link, right?"

I didn't hesitate to reply. "It's Yogi," I said strait forwardly. "We both got chosen together. And before you disapprove of us being linked together just know that there's nothing you can do to break our bond. Only he and I can break it."

"This isn't okay, Gareki." She insisted. "It's bad enough that I let him live but now he's in close contact my son. I can't allow this!"

"You don't have a choice." I crossed my arms. "Since when have you shown so much care for me anyway?"

"Since now." Her voice was strict. "I know my feelings for you are sudden but you have to understand that I care for you."

I thought about her words. No matter how I looked at it, she was still my mother. Truth be told she had made a mistake for niglecting her feelings for me. Seeing her standing here now I recalled all the things she had taught me in order to make me the man I was today. I wanted to trust her words. . .but I couldn't. I needed evidence. Evidence I didn't have time to get at the moment.

My voice was hard and dismissive. "I want to believe you. I really do. But this isn't what I came here for. I came here to get answers and strick a deal with you."

Her face fell. She breathed in slowly while straightening. Knowing that it was futile to talk about her care for me when I'd changed the subject. "What do you need to ask me?"

Avia interrupted me. " Ma' queen, you didn't tell any of us that guardians existed. Why keep it to yourself?"

She planted her eyes on Avia as she answered. "The Dark Ages was when both guardians Ashanova and Ivy scorched this realm with their bravery and heroics during the war. At the time, of course I lived younger but was still Queen. Your father, Gareki, was still alive. But during that period it was his death day as well as the conclusion of the war. After your father died I continued to rule in his place but things had drawn to empty darkness for me. Even though everyone around was rejoicing of the war ending because of the guardians I couldn't bring myself to share in their delight. I was in a black place and lost sight of happiness. And so did this kingdom. It didn't take long for my bad mood to cause everyone here to forget about the good deed the guardians had done. Soon enough the guardians became just a legend in the Ice Castle. This all happened before you were all born so of course you were led to believe the guardians were disbelief and apart of some distant story."

All three of us stood with disbelief and awe. The reason why we didn't know about the guardian's existence was because she lost my father.

She must've been highly depressed if her mood took that strong of a toll on the entire kingdom.

"Well now we know," Seth said.

Larisa looked down before averting back to me. "Why does being a guardian affect you not being able to come home?"

"I will return home, but not now. I have a very important mission I plan to go through with until the end. Only when I'm finished with it I'll have to return back here in the Arcial Realm in order to fulfill my job as guardian. Ivy and Ashanova gave me and Yogi an order to keep watch over the Arcial Realm for danger."

Her eyebrows creased. "What is this mission?"

"I'm helping Yogi save his kingdom from a dark lord and his army. In a matter of days we'll be in a war to get it back."

She closed her eyes. "I can't stop you, can I?"

"This is my choice." My voice was firm. "If you're worried about me dying then don't. But if I do. Just know that I died fighting."

"You're fighting an army—" she began.

"With an army." I finished for her. "But the army we're fighting against is big. This is the catch. I'm going to need the Ice Castle's army on board to help us fight. This is where my deal lands. Give me the army and I'll return home, here in the Ice Castle. Don't, then I'll live somewhere else in the Arcial Realm and you'll never see me again."

I know that sounded heartless. The fact that she wanted me badly to stay here in the Ice Kingdom but here I was distancing myself from her if she failed to agree with a deal. But this needed to be done. I owed Yogi that much.

Her face scrunched up in shock. "You're blackmailing me? Your own mother!"

"And now you suddenly care about me even though my one-hundred and seventeen years of being with you you barely showed you had that title. Prove to me that you are my mother and accept the deal. I'll come back here and you can show it to me."

She gave me an unwavering stare that weighed me down. "Fine, fair enough, I suppose. But tell me how the rest of this deal of yours works."

I returned her hard stare. "Gladly."


	44. The Uprising

"Do you understand those terms?" I stood before my mother, arms crossed after explaining the lay away of the deal.

Seth and Avia stood beside me, quietly without butting in any more outbursts.

She blinked. Her face blank as she considered everything I'd just told her. Finally she nodded once and looked me strait in the eyes. "I understand. I'll be expecting Gabriel's arrival here in retrieving the army but in prior timing I'll let the van guard prepare and know of all this. Consider the deal accepted. I'll be waiting for your return."

Without another word, I turned my back to her before walking towards Avia and Seth who waited for me. Their hands already prepped for bonding.

I bit into my healed hands and intertwined them in theirs. But before I could close my eyes I heard my mother speak to me.

"I'm glad you were here with me at least for this moment."

I stood there for a few seconds. Reflecting if I was making the right choice by being cold to her even though she deserved it. But I didn't care enough to consider that it mattered. Without saying goodbye or a look back I closed my eyes and focused on our previous location. It didn't take long for the rush of air to soar past my ears and the dizzying sensation to close around my body.

Before I knew it the flash behind my eyes had ignited into a white light. The wind stopped after a moment and the brightness left. The atmosphere faded into familiar settings.

Avia And Seth dropped my hands and I opened my eyes only to see we had arrived back in Kiridian. I brushed strands of hair out of my eyes and fixed my sight on the four people watching us.

Nai, Gabriel, Rowen and Yogi all stood in the same spot they'd been in since we'd left. They all stared at us expectedly.

"Good, you're back," Nai said.

"Finally." Rowen placed a hand on his hip. "Did making the deal have to take this long? Half the day is already over."

"The bonding process transports our consciences from one point to the other in a slow manner," Avia responded.

"Noted."

Yogi came up to me as I pulled on my fingerless, leather gloves. "Well?"

I looked at him. "She's in on it. We made the deal with a couple of ties."

He lifted a brow. "What does that mean?"

"She agreed to give us the army with the help of Gabriel's teleportation stone. They'll arrive at Maharii Sylus and wait for us to get there in case we run into problems on our way there on ship. But that means Gabriel is heading back to the Ice Castle now to go through with teleporting the soldiers."

"Why can't you get Gabriel to teleport you to Mahrii Sylus before he goes back to the Ice Castle?" Rowen cut in. "It's sounds more logical."

Gabriel said," My teleportation stone is temporary. I only have enough power in it to carry out two more transportations. One for me to get back to the Ice Castle and the other to get to Maharii Sylus. I think it's best if it goes out to the army."

I averted my eyes to him. "You should head out now. My mother's already expecting your arrival. But before you go, let me warn you. Considering you are going to get to the island before us, do not interact with the Turibians. If you need to, keep the fleet and yourself out of sight. I highly advise it. They're not friendly beings."

He gave me a single nod.

We all watched him lift the stone from his pocket. He held it out causing a portal to open up. He gave one last look at me and I nodded once as in good bye. He smiled before turning and disappeared through the portal. It closed up behind him.

Yogi turned back to me with a cross of his arms. "So that's it then? She agreed and we're really going to go through with this. Anything else you're not telling me?" He insisted. His eyes staring strait through me, reading me before I could hide the bad news.

But what was there to hide. He technically already knew.

But still I didn't want to tell him because I didn't want to dig the wound deeper at the fact that I was separating from him. Deep in my mind I had hopes that it wouldn't come to this. But even if I had that, I knew nothing would change. I had to stay here for the good of my world. And it was only more likely so since my mother agreed to our deal.

I shook my head slowly and mustered up the sincerest voice possible. "Yogi, I'm sorry—"

He closed his eyes. His shoulders sinking as he turned away from me and gave me his back. "I really wish you hadn't of made that deal with her." His voice was quietly deep and rugged with emotion. I could tell he felt conflicted.

"You knew what was at stake. This was the only way to get her to approve of the deal, Yogi. This is for the good of your kingdom," I said firmly.

He whipped his head back around to me. A scowl on his face. "Yes! I know. But I had hoped you wouldn't put the offer up that you would return home if she agreed to giving us the army. I was thinking you would make something else up. I trusted you." He pointed accusingly at me.

"Like I said." I spoke calmly. "Making my return home was the only way she would actually agree to giving us the army. We have bigger things to worry about then keeping our guardianship together. We can worry about us later but right now we have your kingdom to save. Which one is more important?"

"Both." He said without hesitation. He walked past me in a hurry with a grave look on his face. His figure becoming smaller as he disappeared down the hall.

I closed my eyes while massaging the bridge of my nose. Now wasn't the time or place for us to argue or be upset with each other. But I understood his irritations. I knew how much he wanted me to stay with him. But we all couldn't get what we wanted all the time. He knew that my place was here in the Arcial Realm to protect it. I was compelled to stay here for other reasons besides just that.

I wouldn't last forever in his realm with the sun being a constant beating on my body.

The only miracle of us being able to stay with each other was if his older sister was still alive to take over his throne in his place along with the amulet so he could stay in my realm without having to look after his kingdom.

But we didn't know if she was alive yet. There were things that needed to be situated and figured out before he could stay in my world.

"Let me guess," Seth spoke with derision," this is one of the many things you two do since you're together and all. Argue a lot."

I glared at him, not having the wit to argue with him right now."We argue a lot but that doesn't mean we're together. Nor is it any of your goddamn business.

"Now while you're both here on this mission. Through the whole ride to Maharii Sylus I'm responsible for both of you. You better hope that either of you don't get on my bad side. I may have changed since the last time we've seen each other but my temper hasn't. I won't be afraid to take precautions. So word of advice. Don't do anything stupid."

Seth pocketed his hands with a heavy stare in my direction while Avia looked guarded.

She wasn't going to be a problem. I could sense the strength of her trusting Yogi plus her loyalties to me. And she wasn't merely as risky as her brother was to over throw me.

Seth was going to be the problem. But that didn't surprise me.

"Whatever," he said. "Queen Larisa would have my head if I did something to you but I wouldn't say the same for that Outsider."

I had the collar of his shirt in my fists in seconds, hoisting him close to my face. Avia stood tense, ready to break us up as did Rowen. "You wouldn't dare." I seethed.

He gave me a daring glower. " If he crosses paths with me or annoys me in any way. . ." he dragged his index finger slowly across his neck making a slicing sound with his mouth," It's lights out for him."

I threw him hard against the wall. "What did I just say to you?! Don't get on my bad side."

He gripped both of my wrists and said ruthlessly, "I was never afraid of you. So don't bother intimidating me." He flung my hands off him and with one last glower he walked off. I lunged after him but was secured by Avia holding my wrist.

"Let go!" I yelled, turning to look at her.

"Not a chance!" She snapped. "This is getting out of hand. If you go after him then obviously it won't resolve anything. I'll follow him—"

"No." I barked with a snatch of my arm away from her grasp and she gave me a cutting stare. "That's not how this is going to work. I can't let either of you out of my sight. I believe you won't do anything but I think differently with Seth and so will everyone in this castle."

"I'll go with her," Rowen objected. "I'll make sure they're under full watch. In the mean time, go find your partner. It's not the time for you two to be at odds especially since you have a gathering once the two armies get situated in the speech hall. You'll have to give some kind of explanation to get them fully invested with what you and Yogi are doing or else they're just going to be confused."

I frowned, forgetting about Seth for a second." Who decided on that?"

"We all did," Nai said. "After you all were inside your bond."

I hesitated. Turned to watch Seth's back get smaller as he walked farther away. Then turned back to Rowen and agreed. "Fine. But you know what? That suggestion you had earlier about putting them in a holding cell sounds about great right now. Only because I don't have the time to watch them."

Rowen nodded. "I'll get my men to open up two now." He looked at Avia before grabbing her from behind by the wrists.

"Hey?" She struggled.

"Sorry," I said when she turned to me for an explanation. "You're going to have to be locked up with him. Nai doesn't trust you enough to let you roam around the castle. It doesn't matter that I have my own beliefs about you. This is his kingdom. I have no say in what needs to be done."

She gave me a down casted look. "I understand." She relented reluctantly. "This is temporary, right?"

I placed my hand on her shoulder."I'll come and get you both once we depart to Maharii." I promised.

Rowen walked her off. I turned to face Nai. "Sorry about the scuffle. If I knew that Seth was going to be a problem then I would've tried to prevent him in some other way."

He brushed a hand over his chin and sighed. "I just hope no more excitements will be happening today. Seth seems like a handful."

I growled lowly at the thought of that. "He is. And I have to deal with it. Let alone make sure he doesn't murder Yogi. I'm going to be a watch dog during this whole trip in order to keep him away from him. Just my luck." I muttered the last part to myself.

"I hope you smooth things over with him." He offered, seriously.

I snorted. "Me and Seth have nothing to smooth over. He's the—"

"I wasn't talking about, Seth." He implied with a tilt of his head.

I looked at him, now knowing who he was mentioning. I paused and for a second I didn't know what to say. "Yogi and I will be fine." I admitted curtly from tight lips.

He looked skeptical as he pressed on."You say that but do you believe it?"

He knew I wasn't sure. I mean, from all the disputes Yogi and I had we always ended up being solid as a rock. Nothing could tear us apart. But I was starting to think with our current disagreement our bond was more fragile than ever. Like wise with every other thing that had happened with us during the past few days.

Would we be okay. I asked myself in thought. I didn't want to answer because there was no telling. "I need to go look for him." I slowly backed away. "Thanks again for your help in offering up your soldiers. They'll be back here in no time."

Before he could say anything more about Yogi, I turned on my heels and began speed walking in the direction Yogi had gone.

I didn't know why his concern made me feel the need to be avoidant.

Neither was I sure about why everyone was worried about Yogi and my relationship, hence Rowen as an example. I remembered the times he wasn't with Yogi he would always bring up questions about our being together. Was it so interesting to see an Avatar with an Outsider.

Obviously it was. Two enemies that were supposed to hate each other in actually had fallen in love for the other. How was that going to end.

How was Yogi always so determined to go through with something or keep a firm grasp on the things he wanted. Almost as if he never had a filter to give up. That was the thing I admired about him. He always had his mind set on the things he wanted.

One of those things was me.

I crossed my arms losing myself in thought as I continued to walk subconsciously in a random direction.

Now that I thought about it, it amazed me how mind set he was on trying to make us be together— to make us work and not end in disaster like my fears led me to believe. His intangible need to fight for the things he wanted till he could finally grasp it at the very end.

I raked a hand through my hair before shoving both hands inside my pockets. How was our meeting with each other going to end. I had to ask myself that again.

Was it going to end with heartbreak or satisfaction.

I became aware of how crazy it was for me to feel at a loss if he parted from me where as twenty-five days ago I wanted him dead without first thought of remorse.

Seth was right. I had changed. I felt like I could actually feel and express my emotions. The ones I didn't know I was capable of. But I still needed to get the hang of them.

I crossed the hall and ended up in a four corridor intersection. I stopped in the center and looked up.

Before I knew it I had caught his scent. I paused just to make sure it was actually him. After clarifying I started following it.

I kept strait coming to a stair well.

I made my way up the grand stairs before crossing a hall where two doors were opened. I passed through them and came outside where the crashing of waves sounded off. The salty wind whipped my hair and clothes smelling distinctly of rain. Feeling warm to the touch on my skin.

I turned my body temperature higher to fight against the heat of the desert as I stepped out further in the shade of the castle's structure.

I realized that it had stopped raining. Only a cluster of storm clouds were transitioning their way out of Dampis.

I looked out over the rim of the balcony and saw the heavy waves colliding with the stone wall. It was a long drop down. I took a step back and turned to my left only to see a staircase made of cobblestone leading to a lower deck.

And that's where I saw him. His bare back was facing me. He stared out at the ocean with a passive expression from what I could see on the side of his face in my position.

I took a quiet step toward him but stopped and waited there. I watched him, taking his body build in. The broadness of his shoulders. The medium sized bulk of his biceps.

I was intrigued. I stood their four more seconds, taking him in without a word.

What was I doing. I felt stupid like some stalker but I didn't want to move. I admitted to myself that I wasn't checking him out. . .just. . .looking out at the ocean, but I knew that was a damn lie.

I took in the strong muscles on his back and saw how lean he was. His smooth skin harbored a slight bronze from the sun. His golden hair brightened in the sliver of sunlight peaking over the roof top. How could a person look that good without even trying.

He took a few steps forward, examining the cliffs across from us. He placed his weight on one leg causing his toned torso to face me.

And to think I had touched him there last night. The intimate moment that had taken us both to entirely new places on each others bodies.

I suddenly became conscious of the way I had acted during those intense moments. I hadn't been myself at all. I hadn't felt so good in a way like that before either. The way he had genytly touched me. The sensations he'd made me feel all came rattling back in my mind. It was enough to make me want those moments to reoccur. To feel the numbness rising until it unleashed like a strong wave all over again.

My eyes glazed over. The slits in them thinning. Everything around me blurred, I could only focus on him.

"I know you're there, Gareki," he said without turning.

My breath hitched.

I blinked away the lust and memories and snapped myself back into reality. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about that. I needed to get a grip.

I started down the stairs and managed a casual tone of voice despite the small argument that had just happened between us."What are you doing with your shirt off?" I now noticed his hair was dripping wet.

"A wave came up too high and drenched me." He pointed out to where his black tank and denim shirt were placed over a bolder drying in the sun. Still not looking at me.

I made it down the rest of the stars and walked up next to the bolder. "You still mad at me?"

He blew out a short, humorless laugh from his nose. "Mad, really?" He sounded aloof. Definitely still was.

I kept my hands inside my pockets and scrutinized him. " Yes. You're the one who sounded upset over what I did in order to insure the welfare of your kingdom. "

His eyes sliced in my direction. "You make it sound like I made a big deal out of it."

"I'm not trying to point fingers," I shrugged ," but you did."

His eyes suddenly were razor sharp. "I don't have time for this." He began to turn.

"Wait," I said gently but firm.

He stopped and turned to me with a cross of his arms.

"I didn't come here to get you even more upset with me." I eyed him carefully. " I want us to be how we were before the argument. Don't think that I don't understand what you want. I do completely. But I did what I had to insure that we had the help we needed to win this war. I know you want to be with me— you don't want me to leave your side, and trust me the same goes for me too. But we're facing something way bigger than keeping us together. You knew that I couldn't stay in your realm. I told you why."

The sharpness of his glare died and now he looked dismayed. He looked back out at the ocean. He waited a few minutes before answering. "I didn't mean to make a big deal out of it. My temper just flared up and I couldn't stop what I was saying. I guess when you first brought up making a deal with your mother I assumed it wouldn't be the fact that you had to return home. I expected you to make something else up for my sake. It was selfish and nothing about me yelling at you was for our jobs as guardians. I just wanted you to stay with me because I love you. Not for the cause of the Arcial Realm. I'm sorry."

The wind blew past us. Flowing through our hair. I looked down at my boots. Trying to decide my response.

He was only hoping. Grasping on to the belief that he could make us be together despite the complications. On the inside I smiled. I couldn't be mad. If I were him I'd've done the same thing.

I looked up after a minute of thought and found him looking at me. "It was selfish, Yogi. I'll admit that. But I can't bring myself to be mad at you or disappointed. You just care about me and it's the same for me too. But I want you to keep in mind that whatever happens in the future with us we can either be together or we can split. I want you to be prepared for both of them. I don't want you to be sad when I'm gone. I'm going to need you to carry on with your own life.

" If you happen to have to stay in your own realm then I want you to follow that."

"You know I'm not giving up th.e hope that my sisters are still alive," he said, stepping up to me till we came face to face. "I still have faith that she can take over the throne in my place."

I nodded in understanding. "That's the only hope we have at getting you to stay with me. I know."

He lifted a hand and tilted my chin up. "I'm not letting us get separated." He said in a way that told me he meant it more than anything.

"I'm sure you won't," I said quietly. "But. . .if things do turn out in the way we hadn't hoped— it's painful for me to say this but I know it's for the best. You shouldn't waste your time continuously loving me."

His frowning eyes searched my face. He shook his head gradually. "No." His voice was harsh and slightly angry. "Don't even say it—"

"You need to hear it," I said forcefully, giving him a hard glare.

Reluctantly he submitted and heard me out.

"I want you to fall in love with someone else. Life isn't going to be fair to you if you keep obsessing over a relationship that's out of reach."

My back fell against the bolder as he shoved me against it, gently. But the expression on his face was no where near gentle. He looked vexed and determined.

"You don't get it. You don't understand the kind of feelings I have for you. It's the kind of raw emotion that makes you want to bleed. That's how strong it is."

His hand moved to my cheek where he caressed it with his thumb. My heart sped up as he trailed his smooth fingers against my jaw, his thumb fingering my full lips. Without meaning to, I attempted to turn away but his grasp on me forced me to turn my face back to him. His eyes watched mine closely.

" I Only want you." His voice was set deeply. " That's my decision and it's final." before I could get a word out, he closed his eyes as he leaned in and kissed me.

The soft, careful touch of his lips made me close my eyes as well and melt with pleasure instantly. I found myself pushing my body closer to his, not being able to resist the magnetic pull of his mouth.

I lifted one hand and roamed it up the hard plains of his spine.

I couldn't help it. His enticing body beckoning me to kiss him back with just as much force as he was kissing me. He was so much like a drug. And yet my weakness and fears.

I only allowed kissing from him because they weren't a sign of commitment to us. They didn't make the decision for us to be in a relationship. We only did them for satisfaction not as an actual answer.

I lifted my hand up to the back of his neck and pulled him further to my lips. My finger tips getting lost in his hair.

His hands straddled my hips. One of them slipping down to feel over my arse.

He dipped lower. Dragging my bottom lip out and slowly between his teeth, let it go. I breathed a sigh against his mouth as he placed his forehead against mine. His eyes halfway open.

He was one hell of a kisser. Another thing I found alluring about him.

His hand moved to my neck. Fingers gently scratching me. "God I love you," he said breathlessly. "I'm so tempted to do something with you right now."

My eyes glazed over again with need. "Why don't you?" I whispered. "No ones here to see."

He eyed me. Clearly noticing my change in behavior but didn't question it. "I like that you're eager." He ruggedly responded against my lips before kissing me once more.

+0+0+0+0+0+

"I hope you've got your mind made up." I told Yogi as we made our way down the long corridor to the speech hall.

"I know exactly what to say," he told me, fixing his messy hair that I had ran my fingers through during our kissing session. "Besides, you're coming up their with me."

I pulled my shirt flat against my chest, throwing a side glance his way. "Didn't say I wasn't—you don't need to speed walk, we're not late."

He stopped his gait and turned to me. "Right," he dragged the word skeptically," because we just didn't come back from making out an entire hour or anything."

I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "Yogi, relax. They just got here. Remember what Pastel said after he caught us?"

He sighed in aggravation. "Nai should really get a bell for that cat. Yeah, I recall it. He said that we have time to finish whatever we were doing before we had to meet everyone. And yet I'm a nervous wreck for some reason." He turned and began walking again. I followed with a raised brow. "Well you shouldn't be. Haven't you given public speeches as a prince before?"

"Course. But anxiety just snuck up on me. I haven't felt this way in a long time."

"It's a new crowd from a different world than what you're used to. It's understandable. But these people look up to us. We're guardians now. Time to start acting like it."

"That helps."

"Let's get through with this, then we can dock on ship and we'll be away from here."

"Okay," he agreed. "But. . .where's Avia and Seth?"

"In lock down. I got Rowen to get some of his men to guard them."

He gave me an odd look."Even, Avia? How can you be sure they won't get out?"

"They won't." Rowen interjected, coming up from behind before cutting between us and wrapping his arms around our shoulders.

We both simultaneously turned to look at him.

"How," I asked.

"They're in cuffs that stimulates their magic. Even if they wanted to use their abilities to freeze the bars, they can't."

"Nice touch. I bet they're enjoying that." My voice was dismissive.

"Okay," Yogi said. "Am I the only one whose wondering why Avia has to be locked up? She's innocent unlike Seth."

"She froze me!" Rowen blurted defensively.

"Only because she thought Gareki was dead—"

"And she was trying to kill you!" He added

Yogi sighed briefly. "Again, because she thought Gareki was dead. Look, all I'm saying is she's the good one out of both of them. Trust me. She doesn't deserve to be locked up like him."

"Prince, Nai doesn't trust them and so don't I. Sorry but that's just how things are. But on the brighter side I'm coming with you two on the mission so you don't have to deal with Seth on your own."

"I can handle him just fine." I cracked a knuckle, mustering up a dark look on my face.

Yogi said, " I doubt that's the only reason why you're coming."

Rowen gave him a sly smirk. " Great perceptiveness. The real reason is because my men need their commander. So I'm obligated to stay with them during this brigade. "

"The more the merrier," I said, shrugging off his arm as we came to the speech hall that was closed off by two tall doors. I braced both hands individually on each door."Did you count the total of soldiers?"

Rowen nodded. "Kiridian's fleet is a mass of 130. Metropolis has 115 but the Ice Castle—"

"Has 120." I answered for him just because he didn't know. "Which means it's a total of 365 men. Are the ships big enough to carry this many?"

"There are two big ships that will hold both armies and the third boat is just for us, plus Avia and Seth."

"Good," I muttered before shoving the doors. They flew open on either side and once they had a swarm of bodies all talked and wondered around the spacious room. But the space was quickly dissipating. It was definitely a crowd.

I turned to Yogi who looked stunned. "You wanted an army. Well this is it."

He stepped next to me and eyed all the people dressed in red and royal blue armor. Most of them caught sight of us and paused in what they were doing only to stare with expectation and awe struck.

Yogi searched the room as it became increasing quiet. Everyone in the room had caught sight of us in no time.

I looked away from the soldiers and saw Nai's albino hair peeking from the crowd as he made his way off the stage and waved us behind the set.

"Nai needs us," I said stepping away from them a few feet forward into the flock of men only to have a hand clasp over my shoulder. I stopped and turned only to look down and see Kiichi dressed in a two piece, royal blue armor set with silver iron chest plates and wrists bands.

The crest of Metropolis branded on the left breast of her chest plate.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Avatar himself. I didn't think I'd see you again so soon." Her tone was somewhat playful but didn't hide the distaste.

I gave her a bitter smirk. The welcome was like wise. I didn't enjoy seeing her either. The last time we'd spoken to each other it hadn't been pretty.

"How did I not know you'd be here?" My voice was light but shared the same distaste she'd put into her tone.

She lifted an eyebrow with a cross of her arms. She looked in disbelief. "I am the commander of the fleet you need for this war. It should've been obvious."

I kept the bitter smirk. My voice was sarcastic but there was clearly no true humor . " So it should've been. Sorry, I just happened to rid my mind of your existence."

Her eyes cut into mine and I did the same to her. "Oh ha, ha. You're so funny. I happened to do the same thing. I'll have you know I didn't want to help you but you're lucky Queen Sirena can be persuasive when she needs to be. I'm practically being forced here."

"Ohh. You're not helping me," I said quietly with a shake of my head slowly," you're helping, Yogi. Once you help him with this you won't see my face again. Your debt you owed us will have already been paid off."

She smiled sharply. I could tell she felt grateful for those odds.

"Break it up you two." Rowen broke in and pointed me to the stage. "Come on. Nai needs you up there. I just got intel that the ships are here and are ready for us to dock. Just get done with your speech."

"I'll catch you later," I said sourly to her.

"Won't be counting on it." She bit back.

I turned my back to her as I shouldered my way through the crowd and behind stage where I found Yogi plugging an attachable microphone to his ear.

"How'd your reunion with Kiichi go? Saw you talking to her." He looked at me and I gave him a cold stare for asking the question.

He cringed. "Guessing not so well."

"Bingo." I reached over and plucked an ear microphone from the wall hanger and set it in place on the right side of my face. I positioned the mic to my lips and pressed the button for the speaker to be off. "I can't stand her." I muttered more to myself than to him.

"When are we going on?"

He raised three fingers for three minutes. "I'm going to officially say that my anxiety has floored to the roof."

"You'll be fine," I consoled," just remember what I told you and it'll be over before you know it."

It didn't take long for three minutes to pass. But during that time, Nai had been on stage calming the chattering crowd with welcomes and introductions.

"We're on." I nudged, Yogi, and walked on stage where Nai beckoned us with a wave of his hand.

As soon as we walked out, the audience wasn't quiet this time apon the sight of us. They murmured to each other at the sight of us with acceptance and intrigue.

I caught on to most of the conversation with my acute hearing.

"Aren't they the one's who fought the water demon?"

"I can't believe we're actually going to war with these two as our leaders. How amazing is that?"

"They saved us from the Fire District and even killed both Kiharu and Kagiri. I look up to them."

"If these two are going to lead us into war then I find it honorable to be serving them."

"Did you see what elements they have? I can't believe that two guardians have finally risen up in all these years. Let alone, they're descendants."

"How do you think they control two elements at once? It's hard just focusing on one."

We stopped in the center. From my focal point I could see the top of everyone's head as they stared at us. I pressed the on button on my ear microphone. As did Yogi.

He eyed me and I gestured for him to speak first.

He averted back to the crowd. He took a moment to himself to collect his words before speaking in a surprisingly authoritative voice that didn't sound an ounce like he was nervous.

"You all may know us, but in case you don't, my name is Yogi and this is Gareki. I'm not from this realm but he is obviously. I'm sure you've all been acquainted with his royal status as being Queen Larisa's son from the Citadel Ice Castle. As for myself, I'm a prince of a kingdom that belongs to the sun. And we are infact guardian descendants of Ivy and Ashanova of the Dark Ages. As our new roles we will ensure the welfare of the Arcial Realm as it's new protectors.

" But before any of that comes into action, we ask for your help in an uprising. A war back in my realm is going to break out. I've seen it in my visions, and I'm not kidding when I tell you it is very real and brutal. Our opponent is a man with a band of transformed people from my kingdom that's been turned into slaves because of his dark magic. He's also manipulated half of my amulet's power and is currently destroying my castle piece by piece each day." He paused only to lift half of his amulet to the intrigued audience.

" In order to purify my people we have to inflict them. I've seen that just stabbing them in their transformed state won't kill their actual body, just the dark magic casted into them. And if we succeed in faltering them then I will be able to fight my way to the other half of my amulet that will in turn transition my kingdom back to it's natural form."

I spoke up with my arms crossed. " This is a mission that Yogi and I can't do alone. All of you need to pitch in. I expect no less from soldiers." I looked out at all of them.

" And in case you thought we haven't noticed. Yes, I am an Avatar and he's an Outsider. But he isn't like the rest, clearly. For only him 'Outsider' is just a term that explains he's not from this world. But just because he's different. Don't think he's here lying to you. And since we're on the topic of differences I should warn you that my kingdom pitched in it's soldiers as well. I know everyone in this room thinks that Avatars are cold, ruthless people. We are, but in this case we all need to work together."

I looked to Yogi who twitched his lips into a small smile before looking back out at the crowd. "Now the question is. Are you all in this and ready to risk your lives for a greater cause?"

Not a second later everyone raised their fists and shouted in commitment.


	45. Emersed

I watched Kiridian Empire shrink in the distance until it became hard to decipher the details of the castle. The once tall structure turned miniscule in a matter of minutes.

Here we go. I thought. We've made it this far. Let's see what God throws at us now.

I wordlessly clenched my hands onto the metallic rim of the air ship. I felt it vibrate under my palms as the engines kicked into gear, pushing us higher above the ocean that now appeared massive from my view point.

One look over the edge had my mind accepting the terms that if I fell, I would undoubtedly die. If I would've known that by traveling to Maharii Sylus meant that we were actually going to board on an air ship, then I would've declined.

And not for reasons out of fear of heights. I was fine with that, but being this high up in the sky just like being on the ground was just as dangerous for enemies to spot us. Not to mention the creatures that claimed the sky and could fly. This was their territory. And what was theirs meant no trespassing. They were always highly guarded.

I redirected my mind so I wouldn't stress about it. I needed something else to distract me.

The salty smell of the ocean had long lost itself in my nose and only now remained fresh air from the high atmosphere where the clouds were.

I closed my eyes. Taking in the moment for myself to think and to feel.

The air was warmer up here. It felt like hot air was surrounding my skin which I had shielded with an invisible aura that protected me against the sun and heat. I could feel the warmth but it didn't hurt me.

Wind breezed through my hair as I opened my eyes. And as soon as I had I noticed the other two air ships that boarded soldiers, slide into view out of the thick clouds and were now behind us.

I couldn't do it. The thought of danger intruded my thoughts again.

In mind, I hoped nothing would happen while we made our way to Maharii. All three ships traveling in the sky just seemed like asking for trouble.

It all just seemed too easy. Everything that led us up to this point seemed that way.

Getting the ships to board us to Maharii Sylus.

Asking for the soldiers to aid us in a war only to have them throw themselves into following what Yogi and I wanted just because we were guardians.

Even asking my relentless mother to offer us help for the war. Of course the deal I made with her was unavoidable and she had no other choice but to agree with my terms, it still felt like there was a way for her to disagree. Despite her claims of missing my absence.

Easy had been the key point since the very moment of our arrival to Kiridian. Things we needed were handed down to us at the agreements of deals. But now things were at a different arrangement. A war was about to wage. A lot of people would lose there lives, I knew because that's what always happened in war. What was coming I could already taste the blood, hear the battle cries, feel the magic of all the nations on our side casting attack spells.

That would be the challenge. Here and now. I was ready for it. And so was Yogi.

"Seth's not keen on my presence and it's even more so since we're stuck on a ship together. I still think it was a bad idea to bring him." Spoke an irritable voice.

I knew who it was before he had even started speaking. I could smell his scent.

Yogi leaned his arms onto the rim of the ship next to me while looking up at the cloudy sky with rays of sunlight peaking through.

"Me too," I said, glancing at him from the corner of my eyes." But there wasn't much choice. Avia wanted to help us on this mission and because of that, Seth was bound to stay with her. I needed to get into contact with my mother just to instill the deal. And letting them tag with us was the only in I had with doing so."

He turned to me. "Why couldn't we let him board on one of the soldier ships?"

I spoke indifferently," They're both brother and sister, Yogi. They want to be close so they can protect each other. Avia insisted on staying with you and obviously Seth stayed by her side."

His eyes rolled as he turned back to the rim of the ship and placed his arms against it again. "Of course he did." He muttered distastefully under his breath. "But on a lighter note, I'm glad to see Avia."

I looked at the sky, with a gradual rubbing of my palms together. "I knew you'd be."

"You?" He asked after a minute.

I furrowed my brows and averted my eyes to his again. "Me what?"

"Did you miss her?" An inquiring eyebrow raise.

I searched his face for a moment in silence before shaking my head slowly. " No. No, uh. . . in case you forgot, I don't feel the need to care about a person's absence. I can't feel anything like that. Except with you for reasons we both already know."

Realization dawned on his face. "Right," he said with reminiscence. "But I find that depressing."

"It is what it is."

He looked at me once more, but this time he stared closely with a small squint of his eyes. He reached a hand up to my jaw and placed his warm fingers there. Pausing for a few seconds he kept his hand there despite me giving him a questioning frown.

"What?" I asked, quietly.

He closed his eyes and tilted his head down as if concentrating. Five heart beats later he pulled away and reopened his eyes.

"I can sense something's wrong with you. Your emotional aura is wavering. Tell me." He demanded softly.

I parted my lips in small surprise before facing the view over the ship. Give it to your guardian link abilities to be able to sense what each other were feeling. "It's nothing serious." My voice was flat.

Knowing Yogi, he wouldn't drop something that most likely had importance. And that's exactly what he did.

"Let me guess," he pressed on thoughtfully," is it your mother? Did you tell her about us? About what's been happening between us? I knew I should've asked you this after you came back from making the deal with her but things got carried away."

I dragged a hand over my mouth, pinching my chin with my fingertips as I thought.

I hadn't told my mother about Yogi and I. Only the main stuff that was more important at the time. But now that I thought about it. If she did find out about what relationship Yogi and I really had, she wouldn't hesitate to murder him.

Which was all the more reason to keep it between us. And hope that Seth along with Avia wouldn't report it. I had strong hopes for Seth. I wouldn't hold faith against him considering his newly found hatred towards me and his adamant distrust for Yogi.

"She doesn't know about us," I finally answered. "And for your sake you better be glad she doesn't."

He clenched his teeth. The bones in his jaw flexing as he did. He didn't like hearing that, yet I hadn't wanted to tell him. But the truth had to come out at some point. "Let me guess," he said deeply," she would kill me if she found out what's really going on between us?"

I sighed. I didn't want to talk about this. This would be one of the many complications we would face if we agreed to be in a committed relationship. Not only Yogi but my mother would have my head too.

"You're an Outsider, Yogi. Even though you may be different from the others, to her it will always be a strong hatred towards you. In her eyes she sees nothing else but an enemy."

"I wish things were different." He looked disappointed now.

If things were different then I would've already decided to be with him. " Me too."

+0+0+0+0+0+0+

I entered the empty room. Following behind Hirato who was the captain of the air ship. A tall, slender man. Apon first boarding his ship all six of us had gotten to meet him as he allowed us a tour of his huge air craft.

Around 20 bed rooms, a training room, weaponry, high deck and a low deck, engine room, a food transport and 5 meeting rooms.

And on that tour he hadn't dropped the subject of Yogi and I being guardians. How had he found out, I still couldn't figure that out. Word traveled fast over seas as it did land.

And to my aggravation, Seth had been death staring Yogi the entire conversation. Like at any moment he would pounce on his prey. It was like he was begging to be stabbed in the neck by my glaive.

I eyed Hirato's black trench coat as he stopped to look at me. "Will this do? Or do you prefer a room much bigger?"

I averted my gaze around the room. Taking it in. It was spacious enough for all six of us. Metallic grey walls with a single, flat sealing light that made the room cast shadows in it's corners.

I stopped besides the table with nine chairs situated around it's perimeter. Relatively decent for a meeting room but I would take whatever I got.

"It's fine," I said plainly before glancing his way again. "Thanks."

"Call me if there's any situations."

I waited till he left before giving the room another analization. I placed my hand on the table before walking, allowing my finger tips to graze against it's wood.

"Well this looks comfortable." Spoke a sarcastic voice.

I stopped and gave a hostile glance up in Kiichi's direction and nodded my head to a seat. "Sit down."

"Do I have to?" She put a hand on her hip, giving me a bland scowl.

"It isn't up for discussion, just an order. Now sit." I demanded.

She cocked her jaw and walked over to a chair but she didn't sit down. She placed her hands on top of it. "What's your problem with me, Avatar? What did I do to you?"

I positioned both my hands flat against the table and leaned towards her. My tone turning rugged and deep." How you act irks the hell out of me."

"That's it?"

"You were expecting me to say something else?"

"I was. But if that's it then just know that I feel the same way."

"You both are annoying the shit out of me," came Seth's voice. We looked up only to see him leaning his back against the wall, with his arms crossed. Avia stood beside him.

"Is this going to be a meeting or an argument ground?" She eyed both of us.

"Just have a seat." I told them sharply.

They seated themselves as soon as Yogi and Rowen stalked into the room and took seats as well. Yogi sat next to Avia who greeted him unlike Seth who growled lowly. Rowen sat down besides Kiichi. Giving Avia an unmistakable glare.

I could see he still wasn't over the fact that she had frozen him apon her breakin in Kiridian.

And Kiichi stared at me like she wished my existence was false.

I shook my head at all of them. Was it really going to be this much of a problem just to have a meeting. All of us resenting one another and being accusatory.

I moved over to the head of the table. "Okay, now that everyone's here we need to discuss some important tactics for this mission."

"I'm surprised you and Yogi haven't thought up one yet," Avia said in surprise.

"We had to wait until we had an army on our side in order to begin planing," Yogi informed her.

"So you have no small ideas?" Seth cut in.

"Just because we were waiting to get people on our side doesn't mean I didn't plan at least a little." I defended. I averted to Yogi and gestured for him to come over to me.

He stopped next to me.

I turned to him and placed my fingertips on his forehead. I was planning to lock into his memory, that is if I could still do it. I hadn't merged myself into someone's memory in a long, long time but for what we were going to plan we would need a vision of his realm.

"I'm just going to need an insight of what his realm looks like, then I'll form it out after I emerge from his memory. And we can start planning tactics."

I turned to Yogi. "You won't feel anything but a slight pinch."

He gave me a cautious glare. "I never knew you could merge yourself into someone's mind. Can you really do this?"

"Technically it's memory. And yes, I can do this. Have a little faith in your guardian link."

My eyes lit purple as did my fingertips against his forehead as I began to pull myself inside his mind. He grabbed my wrists before I could go further and whispered so only I could hear.

"Try not to linger. I got some pretty overwhelming things in my head that I don't want you to know about."

My eyebrows pulled together. What was he hiding from me. I'd doubted he hid anything from me before, but seeing as now I had been wrong. He surprised me by saying that.

But I would respect his privacy.

I nodded curtly. "Just a heads up, catch me before I fall." With that said I pulled myself all the way into his mind. My body went limp and I slide to the floor but not before feeling his strong arms hug me.

That was the last thing I remembered before colliding into an empty world of color. I examined everything.

It was like a mist or fog rotating in the hollow emptiness. Harboring the colors dark ppurple, magenta, and pink. They had sparkles in them like stars and it felt to me like I was seeing the galaxy all over again.

So this is Yogi's mind. I thought. But the words echoed out all around me like I had verbally spoke them. I forgot that small detail from the last visit I had in someone's memory.

I couldn't talk whenever I was inside someone's mind. I could only think my words.

I walked forward. Each step sounding loud and hollow. A few minutes passed me up before I began to hear voices that belonged to Yogi's memories.

It was then that I entered the collection of floating screens. All of them lit up with what Yogi had seen and experienced.

The moment he was first born into the world. I heard him crying and saw in his eyes a women with long golden strands of hair with deep violet eyes holding him. His mother smiled down at him with tears in her eyes as did a man with shoulder length golden hair and a mustache who relatively shared the same facial structure Yogi did now.

Laughter of him as a child vibrated from another memory. He was older. Possibly eight years old with two girls who had the same golden hair and violet eyes as he had chased him around a garden of roses. One of them looked the second oldest while the other looked the youngest. They must've been his sisters.

I kept walking. Passing up memories of the very first toy he'd gotten, him getting his first lesson with riding a horse, him in class learning how to use his magic over the amulet.

I suddenly stopped at one memory that caught my eye.

I stared at the screen. Taking slow steps towards it.

Something about it was off. It urged me to come closer. Like it was hypnotizing me. I didn't know what my purpose of being here was anymore. All I could focus on was the scene in front of me.

The destruction of the kingdom Yogi lived in was nearly demolished. Fire lifted up from the debris. Fragments and large pieces of bricks lay sprawled everywhere.

I doubted this was what Yogi had seen in his vision. This was in the past. It had to be.

This must've been when Vileus first tried to steal the amulet. Back when Yogi was a child.

The scene changed to Yogi running along side his mother who dragged him into a room where she hid him away in a hidden safe room. But before she turned to leave she gave him the amulet.

I could hear banging against metal. Vileus's men were coming.

The next thing that happened was the strangest. The images blurred away into an explosion of flames. Images snapped rapidly by. Most of them I couldn't see quick enough but some I figured out.

I saw Yogi's face in a blinding flash of white before he snapped away into another person.

I couldn't look away.

My breathing came in shallow gasps.

What the hell was happening to me. Why was this one memory pulling me in.

Then I saw him. Vileus. I had never gotten a clear glimpse of him, but now that I had I took a picture of him with my mind before he could flash away.

He was a broad man with nape length black hair, slicked back. A low shaven beard and mustache claimed his pale mid aged face. His eyes held so much darkness in their blood red depths.

I could feel the strength of his magic flowing around me but I yanked myself away. This was it. I had had enough.

I freed myself from the memory and rolled away from it.

I caught my breath and slowed my racing heart. I hadn't been aware that it was beating so frantically. I hadn't been aware much of anything only that memory.

I pulled myself together and stood up. I looked anywhere else but at that screen.

I need to move or else I'm going to be stuck in another one. I thought. Now knowing what I was here for again, I set my way through the many screens of Yogi's consciousness.

Minutes later I 'd found what I was looking for.

I stopped in front of the screen. An image of the vision Yogi had told me about today was here. I had finally found it.

I loosened my shoulders, preparing myself for what I was about to do. This was going to hurt.

I sighed. Here we go. I thought, raising my hand to the screen. I touched it and it didn't take long for a sharp stab to surge onto my body causing me to jerk.

I stumbled backwards before falling onto my back in slow motion. It was as if the world around me had turned upside down. My back connected on dead grass. The feel of it sharp against my face and hands.

My sight was blurred as I attempted to look at my new surroundings of the vision I'd just entered. My body felt entirely too heavy for me to pick up. My head swayed with thick hot waves, I was dizzy.

I'd pulled my eyes open easily enough but I couldn't see. Everything was blurred. Mixed in with dark fog and flames.

Instinctively my heart began to race at the fear of being burned alive. The fire was closing in. It was a huge spread of heat going back for miles.

Even if this whole scene was just inside Yogi's head. It could still hurt me. I was apart of this memory in the form of a ghost. No one could see me but that didn't mean I was invisible against the threats inside it. I could feel everything and anything.

Get up. I thought trying to move. My fingers twitched one by one in protest. Get your ass up!

I forced my arms to move and managed with difficulty to push myself up. As I gained a sitting position. My nausea gradually slipped away and I could see again.

I heaved once I got to my feet and nearly fell down again.

Moving my arm so the crook of my elbow was covering my nose in a weak attempt to block away the smoke surfacing in the air. The dark smog came up around me like demons rising from hell. The heat wave was intense but only because the flames were huge.

My eyes averted around for an exit and I found one.

An area where the flames hadn't demolished yet. I sprinted towards the opening and made my way out of the cage of fire. I didn't see anyone as I continued running. And by that, I meant people who were alive.

Only thing I saw were corpses. Unrecognizable ones. The only distinction was the armored uniforms they were wearing and I knew I'd seen them before.

The sky was pitched in red and black darkness caused by the fire. Either that or Vileus's rein of power with the other half of Yogi's amulet had transformed the realm more than I'd thought. I could smell bloodshed in the air. It clogged my senses and I could feel my fangs sharpen.

At that moment I recalled the grave look Yogi had given me after he'd had the vision that morning. At the time I could only imagine the horrific sights he had seen while having it. But now here I was, experiencing it up close just like he had. And now I fully understood what he had seen. Everything around me was hectic.

It reminded me of the wars my own kingdom had constantly faced during the past centuries with neighboring kingdoms.

But would this really be how the war to gain back his throne would turn out. Had this vision been valid enough to prove that this would actually happen. I had my doubts about all this.

No. I thought. I can't be worried about this now. I have my priorities set for one thing. I need to study the image of this realm. I needed to form a map.

But I already knew I couldn't do it on foot. This place was way too big for me. Which meant I needed a better scoping plan. Lucky for me I already had an idea.

I stopped running once I was fully in the clear of the fire. I'd stopped in a clearing of trees. Their branches thin and crooked and black. None of them harbored leaves. They were dead. Or almost.

I scrutinized the ground and saw a patch of soil. I crouched before it. I examined it for a few seconds before slowly reaching my hand over it.

I flexed my fingers, preparing myself for what I was about to do next. I placed my hand flat against it. It felt dry and brittle under my touch.

Give me a clear image. I thought. I closed my eyes and focused on the feel of the earth beneath my palm. Everything in this realm cried out painfully. I could feel the last remaining life forces of plants diminishing. They all hooked onto me. Thirsty for survival. Like I was the generator for keeping them alive.

I felt the tribal tattoos on both my arms brighten up in a blue hue as my concentration increased.

I commanded the plants to show me all angles of this realm. And I prepared myself again for what I was about to experience.

As soon as my insist had been given an onslaught of images sparked in my head. All of them coming onto me quickly. One after another. Even though they flashed into my mind rapidly I stored them all into memory.

+0+0+0+0+0+0

Strong hands were shaking me by the shoulders. My head fell back and the sound of muffled voices sounded frantic.

The hands shaking me shook me harder causing my body to slowly become aware of my surroundings.

"Gareki?!"

"You need to calm down, Yogi. He's fine." Yelled Avia.

He continued to shake me. Ignoring her advice. "Gareki, can you hear me? What did you see?!"

I heard clattering footsteps all circle around me. I could feel their stares. My eyes stayed closed though. The color blue brightened behind my closed lids instead of pitch black.

I was still processing each scene. And all of those scenes were fresh in my head.

"Dammit!" Came Yogi's frustrated voice. "I shouldn't have let him in my head. He probably saw something he shouldn't of even though I warned him not to."

"I'm telling you this is completely normal, Yogi. Give him time to break out of your mind. He's fine." Avia protested.

"Don't bother comforting the damn Outsider." Came Seth's cold reply. "He's too dense to understand what 'calm the fuck down' means."

"Seth," Yogi warned. "Don't cross the line with me right now. I'm not in the mood to deal with your shit."

I heard Seth give a snort of smug laughter from his nose.

"You thought you grew some balls during the time spent with Gareki, haven't you? Well you're wrong." Seth continued. "I see the same weak ass human from before. So don't think you can tell me what I can and can't do."

The atmosphere felt like shear cold winter.

"That's it," Yogi snapped. "You think I'm just going to—"

"Hey!" Kiichi barked. "I swear if you two start throwing fists then I'll throw both your asses outside! Now sit down!"

A vibration of weight fell against the floor on either side of me. They both fell silent after Kiichi's outburst.

I had to hand it to her. She could be tough when she needed to be.

My vision flared. I still had the blue glow in my closed eyelids. And the white electric flash of images still splintered of in a swift rate.

My pulse increased. My heart beat intensified till it was hammering against me rib cage.

My breath chilled to a crisp and I rammed my fists onto the ground at my sides. Everyone around me grew silent at my uncontrollable actions.

My fists emitted a frigid snap of cold to the floor. I heard the cracking of frost as it slithered against the ground.

"What's he doing?" Bellowed Rowen, who sounded awe-struck.

Seth answered evasively, "Awakening tremors. It'll be over soon."

"What?" Rowen sounded more confused, but no one answered him.

In a blinding flash of light and a shove to my back that forced me upright in a sitting position, my eyes flew open and I choked on air. My chest heaving as I gulped down breath after breath.

All the images sky rocketed in my skull. An overwhelming rush in my head had me frantic. My eyes darted around the room only to find everyone staring at me with shock, confusion, and cautiousness.

"Gareki." Yogi pulled me into a warm hug. His arms causing my rapid breathing to cease. "You're okay. . . .you're okay." He said it more to comfort himself than to me.

I let him get a couple more seconds to embrace me before pushing him away, gently. "I need to get these images down or else they'll disappear."

His brows furrowed as if confused. "Images?"

"I saw the vision you told me about this morning." I rushed out. "Figuratively, I was inside it. I know correctly now how to devise a plan for this mission. But I need to form the images out."

His wide eyes searched my face. "How," he said sternly.

"He'll need a platform big enough to map it all out." Avia jumped from her seat on the table and shoved all the papers and pencils off with long swipe of her arms. They sprawled onto the floor in a heaping mess.

"Shit, Avia. Was that really necessary?" Scolded Rowen, stepping away from the clutter.

Her blue eyes fixed on him. "Yes. Yes it was," she said matter-O-factly.

The tabled was long and wide like a rectangle. It would work just fine for what I was about to do.

I staggered to my feet with Yogi's help. Going inside his memory had taken up some energy but I would be fine in a matter of minutes. I could handle the ache in my joints.

"How is this going to work?" Kiichi stood up and placed hands on her hips.

"Stole the words right out of my mouth." Rowen pointed out.

I made it to the table and measured it out with my eyes. I needed to map the images in my head precisely with this table so the perimeter of Yogi's realm wouldn't end up too big or small.

I inhaled smoothly with a close of my eyes, I hovered my hands above the table. "Watch and see." The smooth, cold surface of the table made contact with my hands and I began to form Yogi's realm.

The images of the world scrapping off in my brain. They gave me details and scenery. I made sure to put everything I saw onto the map.

My fingers tingled as I permitted and controlled my element over ice to form what was in my head.

When I was done. I opened my eyes only to see an exact replica of Yogi's realm. His castle in the far North and Vileus's in the south. The grassy plains of dead grass and trees.

Everything was down to the finest detail. But the two things I hadn't added was the fire and the hundreds of dead soldiers. Only because I needed the area for my plan to be clear.

Everyone stared at the structure with disbelief. Except Avia and Seth who had the same ability as me.

"So this is it?" Rowen leaned over the desk to get a further look of what I'd created. "This is what Yogi's realm looks like?"

"That's exactly what it looks like." Yogi eyed me incredulously.

"So what is this big plan of yours." Seth had his arms crossed and he shrugged.

I walked over to Yogi's crumbling castle and placed my finger before it. "When I was in his memory I was transported in this exact spot. I got the faintest idea that once we pass through the realm gate we'll end up here. In which, this is our starting point for the war."

"So." He glared. "We have a commencing point. How is this a plan?"

My eyes cut sharply up to his silver slits. He was beginning to irk me even more. "You gonna let me finish?" My tone had hardened.

He eyed me before giving a curt nod to the map. Signaling for me to continue.

I sighed. Focusing my attention back to the map. "Anyway, this is where we end up after we all exit the realm gate. We'll take a short period of time to refuge here to make sure we're all prepared and every last one of us is accounted for. We can't afford to lose even a group full of our army, considering we don't exactly know the amount of Vileus's henchmen we're up against.

"We'll do this before we signal to Vileus and get our presence known. He'll discover the army with us and thus he'll prepare himself for a battle." I turned to Yogi. "He knows you're coming to take back what's yours. There for he'll be prepared at any given moment." I turned back to the rest of them. " Which means apon arriving to his realm we all need to stay out of sight until we make sure our army is put together. Questions?"

Avia raised her hand. "I remember Yogi mentioning that those trolls we killed on his first day in the Arcial Realm were apart of his kingdom and they were turned into that. What are we going to do about them? I just don't want to ruthlessly kill more of his people."

"Don't worry," Yogi said. "We can dislodge the dark magic in them with just a stab of any blade. It'll crystalize them in their normal forms until I can bring them back to life with the connection of the other piece of my amulet."

"Hold on." Kiichi interrupted. "This is a war. We're talking about. Thousands of henchmen who will try and kill you if you attempt to get inside Vileus's castle. I'm assuming the amulet is in there. How are you going to get it all by yourself?"

"Who said anything about doing it alone?" He frowned. He gestured to all five of us. "You're all sticking by me. Well, not Kiichi and Rowen. You're both commanders and you need to lead your nations during battle as a distraction while Gareki, Avia, Seth, and I go inside Vileus's castle."

"Nuh-uh." Seth shook his head. "I agreed to help you fight in this war. Not help you retrieve some half of an amulet."

"But you're not going to help me." Yogi quipped. "You and Avia will tag along with Gareki and I until we reach the dungeons where my sisters are most likely being held. I know they're alive and I want you both to free and escort them out of his castle. Initially I wanted Avia to do this alone. But letting her do this alone isn't your forte, Seth. So you both go together. But I'm warning you. If anything happens to them while you're leading them to freedom I don't care if you're my friend or foe, I will hurt you."

He shared a dark look with both of them.

I felt the heat of his dare clinging into the air. But just like that, it was over. His face lightened up again. He glanced my way. "Got anything more to say?"

"Just that I'm going to help you take down, Vileus. I can't imagine you doing this alone."

He smiled at me.

I turned back to the four of them. "Okay, we all have our positions in this war and I expect you to remember them. Consider this meeting over."

Avia and Seth made their way out followed by Rowen and Kiichi.

"We better inform our fleets about this plan," she said to Rowen.

The room fell silent after they exited.

It was only me and Yogi left.

I moved my hand over the ice replica of his realm and made it all disperse in glowing blue sparks that fluttered up in the air before gradually vanishing.

I eyed the floor which was still covered in papers. I sighed. "They did not just leave us with this mess."

Yogi kept the smile on his face. "No one said that being a guardian would be easy."

I gave him a black look only to have him keep the smile on his face.

He walked up to me and I turned my body to face him.

"I'm glad you're fine now. You gave me a scare when you were inside my head for too long."

He straddled my hips and leaned closer into me.

I said, "how many times do I have to tell you I'm stronger than you think? I'm 118 years old. I can handle hardships. Lord knows I've dealt with them ever since I was born."

"You know I can't fully take your word for it. But I'll keep trying." He kissed along my jaw before falling onto my lips and kissed me long and slow. His touch almost feather light.

He moved his hands up the sides of my bare stomach. Forcing me to sit on the table where his mouth found new places along my neck.

That feeling was coming again. The feeling where I didn't want to stop out of the urge to have him keep kissing me.

My breathing turned shallow as my lips smoothed over his neck. My nose intoxicated itself with the scent of him. And suddenly I wanted a taste.

My nose inhaled more of his scent along his neck while he distractedly kept kissing my jaw.

I opened my mouth. Fangs sharpening, eyes blazing a bright blue before I sunk down and bit into him. Warm fluid slickened my tongue before dripping down my throat

"No warning." Yogi sighed with pleasure. "That's new."

After I'd gotten enough of his blood. I abandoned his neck and wiped my lips. "We shouldn't be doing this here."

"Kissing?"

I removed myself from him in order to evade his groping hands. "You know it was getting to be more than that."

He leaned against the table, a much more serious look crossing his features. "Sorry. But you know I can't keep my hands off you. Not for long at least. Especially after what happened last night. Your expression when you came for the first time is constantly on replay in my head."

I recalled those sensual moments and felt my heart speed up. "What happened last night happened. But we aren't talking about that now." I managed to keep my voice civilized even though I felt nothing of it.

I backed away. "I need to go." I turned and left but felt his eyes on me the whole time.


	46. Gargoyles

A strange ringing echoed in my ears. Like a bell with a long lasting chime.

I was laying on something flat, solid and smooth. The coolness of it pressed against my cheek. I guessed it to be a floor.

It was nothing like my pillow which I remembered placing my face on a few hours ago when I'd retired to my bed. Had I fallen. And if I had, wouldn't I have woken up. Yet I felt the clutches of sleep grip me.

Something was going on but I couldn't elaborate what.

The ringing had stopped and once it had. My eyes snapped open. The slits in them dilating and contrasting with the colorful world around me. I was back inside the hollow place. Yogi's mind.

The weight of my body felt heavier for some reason when I went to stand. I made it to my feet but went stumbling to the ground. My quick reflexes made me catch myself before I caused damage. I landed in a kneel with both hands propping me up against the glass floor which I now noticed reflected the galaxy dome shaped world around me. It was empty. I was the only one here.

As I stared down at the floor of glass. I could clearly see my entire body. But what I saw sent me into a state of confusion and shock.

My appearance had morphed into something powerful. I felt the energy of my magic surge off of my body in waves. Like an invisible aura. I barely recognized myself.

I slowly reached my hand to my face. My fingers met up with silver strands of hair that was styled into a long side quiff. My bangs reached past my chin and was cut spiky along my jaw line, and sized short as it reached my right ear.

My hand swifted through my new hair style in surprise and consideration. I liked it but how was this possible. My hair wasn't this long before.

Duh, it was a dream. This was made up. Nothing was real.

But as for the wrest of my new appearance, it consisted of a tight body suit made of black and blue leather. The outer part which was my arms, partially my chest and abdomen, and my legs were black leather with thin blue, diagonal lines that curved with a contrasting glow. While the mid part of the suit which went up to my neck all the way down to my groin, was blue with horizontal black curved lines that pointed downward.

Metallic shoulder pads curved with my shoulders. The suit went down to my feet as well but covered them with attachable shoes.

My iris's were glowing a teal blue. A color more lighter than the royal blue glow they gave whenever my temper flared or out of thirst for blood.

I looked relatively like Ivy and Ashanova. They had transformed into a different appearance because they were guardians who had all their links connected.

"You and Yogi will undergo a transformation once you find the last missing link." I recalled them saying that.

I looked down at my raised arms in awe. The glowing blue lines on my suit reflecting vividly.

So this was my guardian transformation. It amazed me tremendously. I looked hard core with it. Even incredible and I felt the same way.

If this really was a dream, then it had to be the most vivid one I'd ever had. Usually my dreams were made up of mixed scenes that didn't make any sense. They were tied to the experiences and people I met in reality. Only those people and experiences were tangled up with stupidity and hardly acted themselves. The visions were always mixed in and hard to decipher. And I wouldn't be thinking this clearly.

Something strange had to be happening to me. Either that or this was completely normal.

It looked like I was actually back in Yogi's consciousness. But was it due to the fact that I had been inside his memories just hours prier and was now having a dream.

If so then this was new. First time I pulled myself into a host's mind and as an effect here I was dreaming about being inside it again.

"What are you doing here?" Came a guarded voice.

I whirled around only to see Yogi standing a few feet away. At least it looked like him. His hair was longer. Loose curls reached the nape of his neck. The right side of his head was French braided into three braids. The tips of his hair was red. His violet eyes didn't hold that same purple I was used to seeing. Instead they were a redish—orange resembling flames.

His body suit resembled mine but with a few differences. The leather on the outer part—his arms, chest, hips and legs was a light garnet with thin golden lines that sharpened into zig-zags. While the middle of his suit was a darker garnet with thin gold lines that formed patterns with one another. Similar to over-lapping triangles.

Two brass shoulder pads claimed his shoulders.

I stared at him with just as much shock as I had done with myself. He looked just as amazing and powerful but even more so evolved.

I began to wonder if these were really our guardian transformations or some made up transformation my dream had whipped up for us.

His face scrunched up with something serious. "I'm going to ask you again. What are you doing here?" He enunciated each word.

I gradually stood up. Continuing to eye him. Was he serious. He sounded like my presence was posing a threat to him.

"I should be asking you that." I turned the tables. "This is my dream."

His eyebrow twitched. "A dream? Are you crazy? This is my castle and you're intruding."

I looked around and only saw the hollow place. The galaxy colors misting overhead and around us. "This isn't a castle. It's your subconscious inside my dream. You're imagining things."

He shouted," Don't play mind tricks with me. You're an intruder inside of my property. You must have a death wish." He wrapped a hand around the golden handle of his sword before lifting it freely from it's sheath. The long blade was now thicker in width and had a curved in edge at it's tip. A red jewel engraved itself inside the handle of his weapon. His sword had evolved too.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that he wanted to fight me. "I'm not fighting you." My tone held no room for argument.

His fiery eyes blazed into me as he held his sword ready. "To bad. Cause I am." He sprinted towards me faster than I'd ever seen him run before.

I tried to move but my body was paralyzed. From every muscle to every sensation. I couldn't move. I was stuck where I stood.

I didn't know what was happening. But I didn't have to because once I glanced up a wave of fire from Yogi's sword had swung right into my eyes.

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I woke up with a start. I bolted up in bed, gasping in breath fulls. My bare chest expanding with each inhalation. Heat wavered in the air close to my face.

My eyes were wide and frantic, looking for danger anywhere in the room. But only moonlight darkness allowed me some reassurance that no one threatening was in the room with me.

I felt a hand over my eyes just to insure they were really okay. They were. My hand slid down to my bare chest where my heart threatened to burst out.

I knew it had all just been a dream but every moment of it felt real.

I closed my eyes and planted my head between my hands. Letting my fingers push through my hair.

"Gareki?"

I glanced over and saw Yogi staring back at me with concern.

The real Yogi who loved me and wouldn't dream of hurting me if he could help it.

He'd been sleeping next to me this entire time and apon waking up I had completely forgotten him being there. He'd decided on his own terms to sleep with me instead of staying in his bedroom.

And on the words 'sleep with me' let's just say we both had a quick round of love making before falling asleep together.

His choice not mine. But of course I relented without much of a fight.

He sat up in bed, staring at me. He had bed-head. But even his messy curls made him look good despite it. The way his eyes looked told me he'd just woken up.

"Are you okay?" He knew the answer to that was an obvious no, but I appreciated him asking anyway.

"Just a dream." I breathed before looking outside through the circular window next to the bed. The moon was out of sight but it's light still crept in. I faced him again."What are you doing up?"

"I heard you muttering in your sleep. It didn't sound like a good dream." He rubbed a scratch in his hair.

"It was at first but things got hectic. As in you wanting to kill me type of hectic."

He gave me a what the fuck look and stopped scratching his head. "Why would you dream something like that?" He asked, immensely bothered by my revelation.

"In case you didn't know— which is hard to believe—no one has control over what they dream. I couldn't have stopped it even if I wanted."

"But still. That's a messed up dream. Nothing like me at all." He continued by leaning close to my ear and whispered," You now I wouldn't dare do that to you."

His warm breath tickled my ear lobe. I faced him again. Our lips grazing once I had. "Yeah. Believe me, I know."

His eyes stared into mine. He didn't say anything for a few seconds. "What were the good parts?"

"I got a sight of out guardian transformations. At least I think they were."

His lips twitched into a one sided smile before falling flat again. "Just like Ivy and Ashanova said we would get. Was it cool?"

"Very." I whispered with emphasis. "I hadn't felt so powerful in my life and at that one moment I felt it. It was. . .amazing."

Another small smile twitched his lips. "What about me? What did you see despite me trying to kill you."

I looked down at my hands. "You were just as amazing. I could feel a surge of strong magic flowing right off you. You looked so evolved." My eyes found their way back up to his.

The way he looked at me now was entirely different. An impulsive need was masked all over his face.

Without warning my own impulses wanted me to urge toward him.

Slowly, I leaned forward. Lips parted, breath held in my lungs. I pushed mine to his and he returned it just as gingerly.

I wondered what the hell was I doing. This thing between Yogi and I wasn't going to end well and yet I was pushing things further. But I couldn't stop. Kissing him felt too good.

Heat and static spread to my cold lips. An energizing lip lock that made me want more and apparently so did he.

But I had to break it. No matter how much me and him wanted this. I knew we couldn't escalate. We had a big day tomorrow. We needed the energy for something else.

"We both need the sleep." I spoke to him softly with a small push with my hand against his chest.

He brushed a hand through my hair before laying a kiss on my forehead. "Fine." He whispered.

He huddled back under the covers and I followed suit with his arm placed over my side, closing me in closer to his body.

It didn't take long for me to fall back asleep.

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"Are you ready for this?" I asked Avia who stood across the training room. Her brother black eyeing me from the side lines.

"Born ready," she said while summoning both her machetes in a swarm of glowing blue sparks.

Between her machetes and Seth's bow and arrow I suspected that they were both weapons chosen to be with them, similar to how Gareki's glaive was chosen for him.

I set my sword low and parted my legs. Settling myself for the fight at hand. I watched her do the same.

This would be the first time I would train with her. But luckily for me I already knew how she fought. The same should've been for her too. During the time she broke into Kiridian and had fought me she should've studied my moves.

"You so much as cut her and it's your neck stabbed with my arrow, Outsider." Seth warned, leaning against the wall.

"It's fine, Seth." She argued. "This is just a fight to see what he's made off. It's not serious. Remember that you were the one as well as everyone else who voted on us all doing training today. So this fight won't be Yogi's fault, it'll be yours."

He glared at her but didn't say anything.

Avia turned back to me and stood ready all over again. "Don't mind him. It's fine if you cut me."

I wasn't afraid of Seth and if it meant going against his orders to risk what he would do to me then so be it.

I tilted my head a little. Signifying for her to come at me.

She sprinted towards me. Blades raised back. She was almost as fast as Gareki. Key word, almost.

She came up to me and swiped down. I side stepped to my right and went for an under blow to her leg with my sword.

I was planning to back a shallow incision to avoid cutting off her foot, but at the last minutes she jumped and threw a round house kick to my shoulder.

I stumbled further to my right but had to force myself to recover because the next thing I knew she was sprinting at me again.

She had speed as an advantage but I had more muscle.

As she went to swipe her machetes at me my amulet formed a yellow barrier around me. It glowed to life every time she struck it with a hard sweep of her blades.

She fell back a step and dismissed one of her machetes. "Nice try. But shields don't work against me." She placed her free hand on my barrier and with a flash of blue sparks sent it cracking to the floor like shards of glass. She then struck out with her other hand which held the other machete.

My reflexes worked fast. I blocked her blade with my sword and shoved her away but she only came running back.

She swung her weapon at me; I dodged a few but others I'd gained wounds that weren't deep enough for eternal bleeding.

She threw a kick at me and hit me in my stomach. The force of it sent me flying.

My back connect with the ground and I eventually slid to a stop. I groaned while sitting up. Maybe she did have muscle after all.

I looked up in time to see her coming my way. Blade raised.

Speaking of blades, I went to lift my sword up to protect myself only to find that it was no longer in my hand.

My eyes darted around me. I spotted it but it was several feet away. Judging by how fast Avia was running at me I didn't have time to go grab it.

I would have to rely on my amulet for protection.

Once she was near me I attempted a kick that would swipe her feet from underneath her but she expected it and jumped away.

I took her distraction to my advantage by casting a spell with my hand outstretched at her. I didn't use fire though. Only because that would harm her enough to the point she would die. Instead I settled on blinding her with a ray of sunlight.

I shot it from my palm. The ball of light hit her eyes causing her to reach for them automatically. She swore as she rubbed at them.

"It's temporary." I informed her as I ran towards my sword. Indeed it was temporary. It would only last ten seconds.

I ran at my sword as fast as I could. I counted down the seconds in my head as I did. I was almost out of time when I slid towards my weapon. I grasped it before abruptly standing. I turned on the balls of my feet in Avia's direction only to be hit with a cold blast that made me spin on my toes.

I fell to the floor again.

Footsteps vibrated against my cheek as Avia walked up to me. I needed to prevent her from attacking me while I was down.

I went to get up but I fell back onto my stomach. Something wasn't right. I looked over and saw that my hand that was holding my sword had been frozen.

She must've frozen it with that blast. It had happened so fast I hardly noticed it happened at all.

"Nice shot." I couldn't help but to sound smug. "But now that I've got the element of fire, ice can't disable me anymore. I'm unaffected by it."

Avia stopped in her tracks at that comment and watched me with cautious eyes.

I channeled fire into my frozen hand. The heat melted away the ice with a loud sizzling. I got back onto my feet.

"Got to hand it to you. You make being a guardian look good." She gripped her machetes for safe measures. "Must be nice having more than one element."

I smiled. "It has it's perks. But it sometimes isn't all fun and games."

She opened her mouth to say something else but was interrupted by a strong vibration of the ship. It rocked back and forth making all three of us fall.

The sound of medal bending echoed all over the ship like it had hit something.

"What the hell?!" Seth yelled

Suddenly the floor became steep and all of us went sliding down to the far wall next to the exit.

As I slid on my back I righted myself so I could be on my front side. Once I was, I lifted my sword and stabbed it as hard as I could into the floor and held on tightly to the handle. I managed to stop myself from falling but now I was hanging.

I looked down and saw both Seth and Avia falling from the long height. They were too far from the floor to get leverage so they could stop falling. I needed to do something in order to save them.

Avia screamed high pitched. It rung in my ears causing me to think fast out of panic.

"Hold on!" I yelled. I turned back to my sword and closed my eyes. Willing myself to focus. My hand illuminated green. "Thorn Kiste!"

I directed the spell downwards to where they were falling.

Vines long and tangled fell down to them and caught them before they could hit the wall.

A vine wrapped itself around me and lowered be to the wall gently. It did the same to both of them as well.

I lifted my sword and willed all the vines to go back inside of it. No sooner had I done that, the ship tilted back to it's normal position. Causing all of us to slide into the center of the room.

The lights flickered with an electrical buzz but stayed on.

"I've had enough of this." Seth helped Avia to her feet. "It's time we have a chat with the captain of this ship."

Running footsteps came tumbling down the hall and stopped once it reached the room we were in. We all turned and saw Gareki.

He wore a black fitted shirt, with dark grey jeans, matching black combat boots. His hair fell in his eyes but one thing caught my attention about him.

He had long claw marks on his left arm and it was dripping blood. "It isn't the captain." He panted. " We're under attack."

All three of us speed walked down the metallic corridor of the ship that led to the high deck. Following Gareki's lead.

I held my sword ready.

Avia clenched her machetes in both her hands.

Seth got ready to launch one of his arrows.

"I'm only going to tell you guys this once so listen up," Gareki said without turning to look at us. "Once you get out there fight, because the enemy will not give you a chance. You better make sure you're prepared."

Avia's face turned grave. "What are we dealing with?"

"Gargoyles. The ship wasn't quick enough to spot we had entered their territory and then we hit into a mountain that happened to be their home Hirato's already trying to get us loose from it. On another note, both soldier ships are out of this area. Remember when I said we can't afford to lose one soldier? Well I cut them off from helping us. We're going to have to handle this alone."

"How'd you get hit?" I asked, looking down at the scratch marks on his arm.

"I was outside when they started flooding the air. I got ambushed. But now Kiichi and Rowen are fighting them off. But they'll need our help."

"So that's how you got fucked." Seth muttered under his breath.

I was sure Gareki had heard him but decided to ignore his comment.

All of us came to metal double doors. Gareki pressed a few buttons on the key pad besides them and the doors fell open. Once they had, what we all saw made Avia, Seth and I stand in shock.

The atmosphere was stuck into an eerie fog. The peaks of dark, rocky mountains protruded out from it outside the ship. Beast like creatures in flocks sweeped down onto the ship deck with large bat wings. Their skin was a dark ash. They were tall and bulky. The looks of their faces appeared to be mixed with a goblin and a bat, hence the long pointed ears.

Four more of them flew down onto the ship deck. The sound of their screeching loud in my ears.

Kiichi and Rowen were holding their own against group fulls of gargoyles.

Gareki reached his arm out and with a bright light of blue sparks summoned his glaive.

The black metal staff fell into his hands perfectly before igniting the long, silver blade into a fiery blue glow. "Go," he said.

With that we all ran forward and began attacking.

I violently struck upwards. My sword casting it's flames deep inside a gargoyles chest. He toppled over, dead at my feet.

Three more came from behind. I whirled around with my sword outstretched with flames and sent a wave of fire their way. It sliced into them, claiming them dead.

I heard a roar go off to my left and turned only to be slapped aside by a strong tail.

I rolled into a wall. I regained myself and looked up just in time to see the tail fly my way again. It came in too quickly for me to shield myself.

Gareki's glaive flew into the tail. The blade lodged itself deeply and because of it's touch, ice began to cover the gargoyle's appendage whole and his entire body.

I could only watch as the glaive pulled itself out and shot a blast that made the gargoyle's frozen body explode. Ice shards fell against me with a strong cold breeze.

My hair flew away from my face as I raised my arm to block away the small rocks of ice. The explosion caused my clothes to ruffle in the wind.

Once it had stopped. I dropped my arm away and looked up to see the glaive levitate into Gareki's black, fingerless gloved hand where he spun it easily with his fingers before balancing the long weapon on his shoulder.

He looked down at me. Eyes bright royal blue. His raven hair fluttered against his forehead as the lasting breeze whipped through it. He held my sword in his other hand and held it out to me.

"I would get up if I were you. You're an easy target when you're down," he said plain and simple.

I grabbed my sword and stood up. "Noted." I looked over his head and saw four gargoyles heading for us.

"Look out!" We both ducked as they flew over us.

I looked up and watched them swoop down again, heading strait for us again.

I clenched my free hand into a fist. Flames erupted from it. I threw four fire balls at them.

They screeched loudly and flew away from them. Two got away but the other two didn't. The fire caught them by their wings sending them falling uncontrollably through the air and overboard the ship where they continued to fall to their deaths.

"Yogi!"

Gareki pushed me down as the other two gargoyles from before came swooping down. He lifted his glaive up, the blade glowing a light green as he focused and propelled two balls of energy at them.

One of them was hit in the chest but the other dodged it. He flew down to us and with his bird like feet, grabbed Gareki by his leg and dragged him across the deck.

I bolted to my feet and went running after them. "Drop him!" I lifted my amulet and sent a ray of sunlight after the gargoyle. All it did was burn it's wing which now that I thought about it at the last minute, had been a bad idea.

The gargoyle had flown over the ship deck and now with it's wing being burnt It fell stories high to it's death dragging Gareki with it.

"Oh no." I breathed in horrified realization. I ran over to the rim of the ship and saw them both disappear beneath the thick fog.

For a few seconds I stood there stiffly. Still considering what a mistake I'd just made when all the logic rushed into me. What the hell was I doing just standing here. "No," I said with conviction. "I'll be damned if I lose you again."

I stood away from the deck and struck the ground with my sword. "Thorn Kiste!" Vines shot free from the deck and followed my command to go overboard and catch Gareki.

I kept my hands gripped around the handle of my sword. I put all my hopes and beliefs that Gareki was okay and he hadn't hit the ground yet or even more so that gargoyles hadn't tried to eat him on his way down.

No. I couldn't afford to think negatively. My faith was always set unbreakably strong when it came to Gareki. We were linked together as guardians. I could feel him in ways others couldn't fathom. We were connected and the way I saw it nothing could break that connection even through all the hardships we'd gone through. So why let death part us now. It was highly unrealistic.

My vines still hadn't grabbed onto anything yet. I felt my hope increase.

Come on Gareki. I thought with determination. I know you're not dead.

With one last faithful thought I felt a heavy tug on my vines. I sent a telepathic command to them to pull him up on ship.

That was when I felt a presence behind me. I turned to see a gargoyle raise it's fist at me. I was defenseless. I stared at it, paralyzed where I kneeled. My hands were occupied with holding my sword and if I let go I would risk dropping Gareki.

I was ready to get smacked by his fist.

But to my relief and surprise an arrow shot him dead square in his head. His body froze into an ice statue instantly before a kick was deliver to him from behind, causing his body to crumble.

I looked up and saw Seth death staring me. He brushed aside his white hair. "Don't think this will be happening often. We aren't on the same page. The only reason I stopped that thing from killing you is because I wanted to do it." He stalked away and shot another opponent with an arrow.

I turned back to what I'd been doing. Looks like I owed him one. Something I hardly saw happening.

The vines continued pulling Gareki up and when he came into view I grabbed his wrist and pulled him the wrest of the way.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—" I stopped short when I suddenly felt a wave of our magic mingling together. I felt it faintly pulsing between us like a thin string.

It almost felt the same as combining which we had lost the ability to do because of our missing link. But this was different.

Gareki felt it too. I could tell by the way he looked at me.

I let go of his wrist and dragged my hand up to his where we clutched them together. No sooner had we done that a large pulse of our magic erupted from us into an explosion that spread throughout the entire ship.

A green dome escalated in size over the ship. Killing every single gargoyle it made contact with. The unintentional spell had dislodged all the evil and had left the good untouched.

But as soon as it had come it had gone away.

Everyone paused and looked around in confusion before laying their eyes on us.

"What did you just do?" Kiichi asked.

Gareki and I let go of each other's hands and stared at the other with just as much confusion as everyone else had.

"We don't know." Gareki responded slowly, getting to his feet.

"Oh really?" Seth dropped his arrow back into the pack on his back. "I doubt that."

I stared at the ground, ignoring everyone's exchange of words. What had really happened. Was this some new ability we'd unlocked.

It felt so weird.

I stood up and turned to everyone. "Well whatever had caused it at least it got rid of the gargoyles but now we should focus on getting this ship moving."

They all glanced at each other. Looking as if they didn't want to let the subject go but they did eventually. Seeing as there was something more important to think about.

Once they had gone back inside the ship. Gareki gave me a curious glance. "Do you really not know what happened?"

I looked at him. "If I did then I would've told you."


	47. Past Occurences

I watched the sun set over the horizon. A gentle breeze blew against my face. Brushing away my hair.

Two days had passed since the incident with the attack of gargoyles and Gareki's and I's sudden surge of power.

He still had no clue how it had happened. But I did. It took me within those two days to come up with a possible theory.

Considering our ability to combine had been broken because of our countless arguing and disagreements at the time, it explained why we were now missing a link that held us back from doing it.

All that had been based off by the way we acted towards each other. So maybe that strong burst of power had been because of my undoubted feelings that Gareki was still alive and my determination not to lose him.

Our emotions was a key point that connected to our source of magic.

That was logic enough that told me it made sense.

I crossed my arms on top of the railing of the ship before wresting my chin on them. Another breeze coursed through my hair as I stared at the pinkish-orange of the sky. It casted on the roof of clouds as the air ship flew over them.

It for some reason reminded me that this was the last day we had of traveling to Maharii Sylus. We would be there in a matter of minutes.

Everything became very real to me at that second. I was standing here and in no time I would be in the face of battle in order to take back what was mine.

Even though I felt amazed that Gareki and I had actually made it this far, it still came as a shock to me.

I was an Outsider. I wasn't from this strange but yet beautiful world. And to think that I had concurred my way through it made me feel invincible. It sure hadn't been easy at times.

I wondered how this war would turn out. We had gone over Gareki's strategy countlessly. I felt like we had a high chance of winning. But I couldn't be cocky.

Knowing Vileus he probably had something up his sleeve. Gareki could be right when he said Vileus would be anticipating my arrival.

After all I did send Zeek and and Zaphora back to him empty handed. They most likely told him that I would be coming to take my throne back.

But then again, he had been assigning both Kagiri and Kiharu to kill me. He probably thought they had succeeded.

Or if they had been keeping in contact with him about their success, he would've been expecting their call about killing me. But they wouldn't because they were dead.

So it was likely he knew something was up. He did know I was coming if he thought smartly.

"So this is it, huh?" Avia hoped up onto the railing and balanced herself into a crouch. Her blue tail curled around her waist. I wanted to tell her to get off of it before she fell hundreds of feet down but her balance was superb. She was confident enough to think she wouldn't fall.

"What do you mean?" I glanced up at her.

"The last day you'll be here in the Arcial Realm."

"Oh, yeah. I suppose." I wasn't all too thrilled to have that in mind. As much as I had missed my sisters, and Samuels along with my kingdom. I had grown fond of this realm.

I hadn't dreamed of a place such as this existing. There were so many different creatures and wild life and places to see that I hadn't been to yet. But if Tsukuomo could take over the throne in my favor then I wouldn't be saying goodbye to the Arcial Realm.

I'd most likely live here with Gareki. In the Ice Kingdom. . .full of Avatars. Oh man that was a thought to behold. Not to mention his mother who hated my guts.

An uncontrollable shiver went up my spine. I wasn't completely afraid of Queen Larisa but she did have some intimidation over me. I definitely couldn't cross her temper or else she'd freeze me into a statue.

Avia looked down at me with concern. "You're most likely thinking about leaving Prince Gareki, right? I'm sure things will turn out well for you two. But it surprises me he isn't out here with you. Spending the possible last moments of you being here with you."

"He was here with me earlier before having to go inside and help Hirato." I offered lightly.

She hummed in understanding. " I know you love him and he loves you so things will have to turn out well, right? That's how happy endings are with two people who love one another."

I pulled my head up from my crossed arms and stared at her. "I hate to say this because it goes against my positive thinking but not everything ends on a good note. Even though we love each other things can still turn out badly. How can you think that me and him will have a good ending?"

She looked at me as if to say it was obvious. "I know I can't really be sure about how he feels but he's changed since the last I've seen him. It's because of you. He acts different only around you. I know that may not be an answer for anything but it could. You just need a little faith about how things will turn out. I know you both can have a great life together."

I considered that in silence. She was probably onto something. But I couldn't be sure. I'll admit he had changed since the first time we'd met but he had made it perfectly clear that he didn't know what feelings he had for me on the night of Nai's birthday party.

Even if we kissed and touched like a couple we didn't do it to label ourselves being together in a relationship. We only did it because it satisfied us. It was strange but true.

"I never thanked you," I suddenly said.

She smiled. Revealing her fangs. "For what?"

"For sticking by me the first time I came into this realm. You helped me even though no one else would. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. Literally I'd be dead with my head chopped into a basket."

She hoped down from the railing and embraced me. I returned it.

"You're welcome," she said before letting me go.

I added," You shouldn't allow people to tell you to change. I understood why you were different from everyone else in the Ice Kingdom and I admire that. Who knows, you could end up saving someone like me one day and he or she will need you on their side when everyone's looking down on them."

She nodded her head. "Don't worry. I don't plan on changing my beliefs. But I doubt someone else will come barreling through a realm gate ending up in an alien world like you have. It seems too unpredictable."

I shrugged. "I don't know, it could happen."

She continued to smile. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask you some questions about you being a guardian."

"Go ahead. But just to let you know, it's all still new to me. So some questions I won't be able to answer."

"Understood." She nodded. "So what I know so far is that you and Gareki were chosen by the former guardians, Ivy and Ashanova. But what I don't know is how this all started? Did they just magically give you and Gareki their titles or was it more advanced?"

I closed my eyes. Recollecting how it had first began.

I hummed before opening my eyes. "I guess it all began back when we first combined magic. Back when we only had the elements of sunlight and ice. Once we combined it felt so intense. My whole body felt exhilarated beyond belief. Power felt like it was flowing around us like invisible waves. I felt Gareki connect with me. I could feel him in ways no one else could ever imagine.

" After that, well that's when shit went down. We started getting these new magical abilities— elements I should say. They were discreet at first. They only showed with our emotions. Thanks to my element of fire I was more prone to get angry quickly. I still do and I can't help it like I used to. Gareki's element over electricity made him more guarded. Sometimes it felt like he didn't like me. He snapped at me more times than I can count. But I suppose his magic at the time was based off of anger like mine. He's gotten better over time though. We get along for the most part.

"But what really triggered our new source of magic was a word spoken in German."

She looked at me funny.

I raised my hands. "I know it sounds strange. It's the truth. One word that was our new element had to be spoken in that language. I don't know why."

She shook her head incredulously. "Gareki doesn't know German. Do you study it?"

I shook my head. I knew a lot of languages fluently in the Arcial Realm—surprisingly—and in my own realm. Including Avatarian which I was speaking now to communicate with her. "That's just the thing. The language just suddenly blurted out of my mouth fluently even though I've never spoken it. It worked the same with Gareki too."

"That's strange. It must be an unanswered guardian thing. You might get an explanation if you ask Ivy and Ashanova. They have to have all the answers since they are the first guardians ever to exist in the Arcial Realm."

I shook my head. "That's not a choice. They both passed down their titles to Gareki and I because it was their time to part from this world."

She pushed a black lock of hair behind her human-like elf ear and furrowed her brows. "So they're gone?"

I nodded. "Gareki and I will have to figure things out on our own from this point on."

For the past hour I stood there with her explaining everything.

She had more questions that I knew the answers to and I happily obliged to answering.

"I never really thought of a person who has the ability to use elemental magic to be strong. Let alone two," she said. "But there's actually such things as guardians in the Arcial Realm. I find that surprising. Only because I thought guardians were a myth. It still amazes me that people like that exists.

" Is it hard wielding two elements? Most people can't even handle just having one."

I leaned against the railing. "For Gareki and I, it's not really hard. I guess you can say it's like flipping a switch between both elements. Not to mention focusing on that specific power you're planning on using. But we're still learning our capabilities.

" Just a few days ago while we were traveling in Dampis, I was able to breathe fire out of my mouth. Who knows. We might actually have some other abilities we can do with our magic. Maybe Gareki can shoot electricity from his eyes but just hasn't found out yet." I joked.

She smirked."That would be freaky, but also cool. What else about you two being guardians haven't I asked yet?" She tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully.

I looked behind her. My eyes catching sight of the clouds coming up over the ships edges before topping over us. We were now beneath them and had began descending into a wide opening of mountains that formed a circle around a historic structure that lay sprawled in the center of a grove that only inhabited tall grass and weeds.

My breath caught in my throat at the stunning architectural layout. It may have looked old but it still appeared out- worldly.

It looked mostly abandoned though.

Avia and I both walked to the left side of the ship and looked overboard for a better view.

A light fog was casted over the building. I examined it's solid, cracked walls that were an orangish-brown. The Earth looked like it had claimed the building judging by the amounts of vines and moss stuck to it's outer walls.

Whoever had designed this temple had made it large. It was shaped like a cross with a protruding tower standing erect from it's center.

"Don't tell me that this is supposed to be Maharii Sylus." I muttered in shock.

Avia threw her fists into the air and yelled. "We made it!"

An adrenaline rush flowed into me. This was it. All that I'd been waiting for was finally here. Time felt like it had sped past me in order to reach this point even though I knew it had taken a long journey just to reach this place. I was ready nevertheless.

Kiichi popped her head out one of the metal doors. "I suggest you both come inside. Hirato says it'll be a bumpy landing. Not safe to be out here on deck."

We followed suit with her order and came inside.

+0+0+0+0+0+0+

The grass blew wildly as the two soldier ships came landing down in the clearing next to ours. Their engines roaring loudly in the humid atmosphere.

My denim jacket went flying about my shoulders as well as the other loose items on my body because of their strong propellers.

Gareki's combat boots thudded against the ground of weeds as he jumped from the ship's open entrance. He signaled for the soldiers to follow his lead.

They all filed out in massive group fulls. I watched the herd of red and blue armored men march off into their separate sections we had discussed and planned onboard ship. Gareki, I and the others figured it was best to organize them so they weren't all over the place once we landed. Their were so many of them it was hard to keep track. I didn't understand how Kiichi, Avia and Rowen could stand being fleet commanders with so many overwhelming men when it was only one of them.

Though now that I thought about it, I suppose I did understood that role more than anything. Before I'd entered the Arcial Realm I was a prince about to be king, ruling over thousands of people in my kingdom. I didn't have my parent's guidance to teach me their own ways of ruling. I had to find my own way. It was stressful but their were it's perks.

Rowen and Kiichi rounded up the rest of their men while Avia and Seth stood next to me discussing the where abouts of the Ice kingdom's fleet.

"I'm telling you," Seth argued," something isn't right. They should've come out of hiding by the time we landed. The sound of this ship landing wasn't exactly quiet."

Avia cocked her head at him. "Don't tell me what you're insinuating."

He gave her a warning glare. "Don't act like it's not running through your head."

She placed her hands on her hips and balanced her weight on one leg. "How can you be sure something bad happened to them? Look around for a minute. This place is huge. They could be anywhere," she stated trying to stay calm.

Seth eyed the wilderness around us with untrusting icy grey eyes. "You're telling me to give this place a good look but look yourself. This is the home of the Turribians. They kill any living thing that gets into their territory. Chances are, they got to the fleet before we could."

She shook her head slowly in denial. "I don't believe that for a goddamn minute."

He stepped close to her and whispered haggardly. "Doesn't matter because no matter how you look at it this place is a death trap and I was wrong to give up so easily on getting you to forget about going on this mission. Just being here is suicide."

Avia looked up at him in dismay. She was beginning to think that her men really had been killed despite her earlier accusation.

I took the initiative to step into the conversation. "Hey, Seth. Do me a favor and lay off your sister. If she wants to believe that her fleet is still alive then let her."

His cold eyes sliced into mine. "You really must want to get your neck twisted thinking you have the audacity to speak to me that way."

I crossed my arms and responded coolly. "I have the audacity to do a lot of things to people. More so with you."

The atmosphere turned cold. A chill went up my arms. "Those sound like fighting words." His sharp fangs flared as he advanced towards me.

He prepared to throw a fist at my face but a blur came running and stopped in front of me. Gareki caught Seth's fist with a single hand.

Seth clenched his teeth and pushed harder but his fist didn't budge from Gareki's iron like grip.

He looked him dead in the eye and glared. "You always have to come and save him, don't you?"

He ignored his question and leaned in close. Muttering words in a harsh, cold tone. "I'm stronger than you." With that said, Gareki flipped him to his back on the ground and held him by his neck. Pinning him there.

Avia yelled in disapproval but they went ignored by Gareki's ears.

I watched from the sidelines as Seth struggled to pry the tight grip from his neck. Both of their eyes came to life with light as they hissed at each other like animals. Baring their fangs for dominance.

"Gareki, get off him," Avia bellowed. " It's fine. He won't harm Yogi! I'll make sure of it!"

He kept his eyes glued onto Seth's. His fingers not moving an inch from his throat. He pierced his lips tautly in consideration. But after a full minute he let him go.

"Don't make a move like that again or else it's going to be me who twists your neck." He shoved off of Seth leaving him gasping for air.

He sat up abruptly, holding his neck as he coughed. He threw a glare at Gareki through strands of his white hair. He returned the look with just as much hate.

I gave Gareki a grateful glance as he averted his eyes to me.

He nodded once before flicking his eyes toward Avia. "You know my temper's bad and if your brother continues to cross the line don't be surprised when you find him dead by my hands."

She didn't say a word. Just gave her brother a grave look.

Gareki walked past her. A stiff chill following him like a ghost. I shivered when he walked past me.

But as if the chill had intensified, it flowed over the grass. Making it move like thick green waves up to our knees. A mild breeze came whooshing in down on all of us out of no where. Whipping through our clothes and hair. It wasn't Gareki doing it. I knew what the air felt like whenever he chilled it. This was different.

We all stopped and immediately grew silent. I didn't know why. . . but I suddenly got the feeling of being watched. All of us must've felt it.

The fog thickened around the clearing. Making it hard to see the person a few feet away from us. My eyes vigilantly darted from left to right. I didn't like this place anymore.

Something was wrong here. I remembered the warnings. Were the Turribians surrounding us now. Was this a method of a sneak attack.

I lifted my right hand to the handle of my sword only to feel the cold skin of Gareki's arm graze against my elbow.

He placed a hand on my shoulder. "I wouldn't do that, not yet atleast. Right now we need to move."

"But what if they're out there in this fog somewhere?" I tried to reason.

"I don't smell them. Nor can I sense them near us. But if we stay here they'll be on our ass and we'll be out numbered. Even with the number of soldiers we got."

No sooner had the words escaped his lips an eerie horn rang out over the silence. A deep sound that reverberated in the pit of my chest. It sounded like a tuba. First coming out quietly but as seconds passed it became louder.

Gareki retreated his hand from my shoulder and placed his back against mine.

I slipped my hand off the handle of my sword.

Avia, Seth, Rowen, and Kiichi all looked around with their eyes.

"He's right. We do need to move," Rowen spoke up over the loud blaring. "It's bad enough we just stood here while the fog is clearing in on us."

"Where are we going to go?" Kiichi snapped. "This is the Turribians territory. They'll kill us if we go inside the temple."

They all started talking at once. Trying to decide to stay where they stood or go inside the temple and risk getting killed.

"All of you need to shut up." Gareki interjected sharply. That snapped some sense into them. They all went silent once more. Starring at him like he had the answer, which he did.

"This is what we're going to do. We go into that temple and stick to a partner. Both fleets will stay here inside the ships only because I don't want them all getting slaughtered while we're all inside the temple. Out of the six of us no one is to be left behind. Okay?"

"Let's go through with it," said Avia sternly." What else are we going to do? We have to fulfill this mission we didn't just come this whole way just to stand here."

They all shared glances before agreeing.

"Good," Gareki said. "Yogi, you're with me. Kiichi and Rowen, you're both together. Avia, Seth you're both paired up." He looked at both fleets. " As for all of you, back onto the ship until given order to come out by your fleet commanders."

They all moved in a massive group full onto the ships.

Gareki looked back to us. "Let's go."

He turned and walked in the direction of the temple where we'd seen it last before the fog rolled in.

The rustle of everyone's footsteps was loud as we moved through the long grass when the horn suddenly went off. But we didn't stop. We walked with our partners.

No one spoke until we reached the temple. The fog had cleared slightly. Which allowed us to see the orange- brown charred wall of it's structure.

Gareki led the way as if he knew it by heart despite all the fog.

That's when I recalled something. "You've been here before, right?"

"A long, long time ago. I was sent here to pass down a message to the Turribians."

"Will they remember you?"

" Not sure. But if they're watching us right now, they feel intimidated by how many of us their is. That horn was evidence enough that their all gathering to attack us."

I gave a wary glance to the building before us. I wasn't going to die. Not when I was this close to home.

We stopped before the entrance. It was an opening that had descending stairs into darkness.

"Is this really the only way?" Rowen stepped beside me.

Gareki braced a hand against the moss covered wall before turning to him halfway. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark." Their was a bit of amusement in his slit eyes.

"Of course not. But going in the dark will make us an easy target since we can't see."

Gareki gave a short glance at me before turning around. He went stepping into the darkness. No sooner had he done it his eyes and tattoos came to life in a light glow of royal blue.

I could see the outlined glow of the tribal tattoos on his shoulder blades peaking through the black shirt he wore.

"Just follow me," he said, continuing forward.

I eyed Rowen suggestively. He returned the look.

"See, I didn't know he could do that." He raised both hands defensively.

I went in next. My eyes automatically glowing a dark violet in the darkness, allowing me to see.

Avia and Seth followed suit. Their eyes and tattoos glowing the same blue as Gareki's. Then there was Kiichi and Rowen.

She lifted her hand and formed a water bubble that had a white blob of light inside of it. It acted as a flashlight.

Rowen was the only one out of six of us who didn't have elemental magic. He didn't have magic at all. Most of the people from Kiridian didn't.

Our footfalls echoed around us in the cold, hollow, and narrow stairwell. The only noise their was.

It began to smell damp as we descended further. It was then that I noticed that the solid walls were wet with water seeping from cracks. This place was old alright.

That horn had blared off earlier but now it was dead silent. If the Turribians were all gathering wouldn't there be noise. If they were planning to outnumber us then one of them had to at least make a mistakable noise.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I asked Gareki in a hushed tone who was looking around cautiously at our surroundings.

"That it's quiet," he guessed," too quiet."

"Exactly. We already know they plan on killing us. So what happens when we reach the end of the stairwell? We fight?"

"Better to have tried than not to attempt." Was all he said.

I couldn't come up with a reply to that so I stayed silent. Ten minutes passed before we finally reached the bottom.

What we saw made us stare in awe.

The floor was covered in sand. It was dimly lit with torches lighting up the long hall of red and gold marble pillars. Stationed between each pillar were realm gates. All circling with vibrant colors. Next to them were these towering clear crystals that seemed to grow from the ground.

Inside of them were sparkles. It was almost as if they were acting like a power source for the portals. Maybe to keep them working.

These were the realm gates. The place that was constantly spoken of in the Arcial Realm. I could see why.

The very first time I saw a realm gate came crashing back into my mind. I remembered being sucked inside. All the shapes and colors that darted past me.

My body being forcefully pulled. The images that came in rapid flashes in my head.

It was enough to disorient me.

Gareki eyed the marble pillars as he took three slow steps forward. But then stopped. One of his small elf ears twitched.

"What are you doing?" Kiichi asked.

Gareki put a finger to his lips to silent her. He then tilted his head as if he were listening in on something.

I gave his back a confused look before turning to Avia and Seth who were doing the same thing he was.

I averted back to Gareki who gradually dropped his hand. "Does anyone hear that?" He glanced at all of us.

The ground rumbled beneath our feet. We all looked down in confusion and that was when I heard Rowen yell.

I snapped my head around only to see his leg being grabbed by a protruding hand coming up from the sand.

It looked like a human hand but the skin was orange, covered in leopard spots.

Rowen yelled again as long, sharp, black nails cut into his leg. He faltered into a kneel trying to pull free. "Help would be nice!" He snapped at us.

Avia darted towards him. She worked to get him loose.

The ground continued to rumble. What exactly was beneath us.

My head snapped up when I heard a thud. I found Gareki on his back fighting off two leopard hands holding onto his arm and leg. They pulled and clawed at him.

"Dammit!" He growled, prying one off of him only to sink his fangs deep into the appendage. He threw it away, blood seeping down his lips. I watched the arm hurriedly sink itself back underneath the sand.

I made my way over to him and grabbed the second arm. It was strong and masculine.

I pulled and pulled but it had a locked grip on Gareki's ankle.

"What the hell are these things?!" I yelled.

He was about to answer but his leg I was trying to get free was pulled into the sand by the leopard hand.

He attempted to pull back but was yanked further under. This time up to his hips.

I shook my head and grabbed his arms to keep him from sinking further under. "No! No, what are they doing?!" I yelled, pulling on him like I never had before.

"They're pulling me under!" He placed his free leg on the sand to gain leverage but it did little to keep him from going under.

I looked up when I heard Avia scream. Her and Seth were being pulled under as well. But I didn't see Rowen or Kiichi. They were gone.

"You have to help them. I can handle myself," Gareki said.

I looked down at him like he was crazy. "I'm sorry, Gareki, but that's the stupidest thing I've heard you say. I'm not just going to leave you here!"

"Dammit, Yogi, listen to me. Think with your head. If you help them both then you won't have to lead the army by yourself. You'll have a chance to save your sisters—"

"And what happens to you if you can't get free? You'll die and it'll be my fault! I'm not going to live with your death on my hands. You're my guardian link. We're in this together! If you die now. So do I!"

The hard lines on his face faltered. He looked at me like he understood. I saw my face reflect in his eyes. I leaned forward and placed my forehead against his.

The cold touch of his skin sent violet chills down my spine. But I enjoyed the feeling rather than consider it painful.

"Okay. I get it," he said breathlessly quiet.

I was about to pull away when I felt a strong tug to my hair.

I groaned, trying to break free as I was dragged against the sand.

Who ever it was pulled me up to my knees. Another pair of hands gripped my arms behind my back. I was then slammed against one of the pillars. The left side of my face making contact with it's cold, solid surface. The hand gripping my hair pushed my face further against it.

I heard an animalistic growl come close to my ear. I saw in the corner of my eye a face covered with orange skin and a small amount of spots along her jaw line and temples. Long brown hair flowed over her shoulders.

At least it looked female. I couldn't get a good look since half my face was pushed against a pillar.

Her eyes cut into mine. They were yellow slits. But when she looked at me I got a good glimpse of her face. It was human like as was her body despite the orange skin, spots and tail. She wore a red fabric around her breasts and a two sided loincloth about her waist.

She held a golden spear in one hand.

She was oddly beautiful in a half animal half human kind of way.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded with a voice that only pointed her out as being queen. As she spoke I caught a glimpse of her two sets of fangs.

Before I could answer she spoke again. " You need to leave. Now, or you'll be imprisoned like the last group we caught on our land."

"Your land?!" Gareki snapped in denial. He too had been yanked aside and held secure by two of the leopard people . " This isn't your land. This temple belongs to the Turribians. The ape people."

She smirked, showing all teeth. "Ah yes, the ape people who used to reside here and guard the realm gates. That rings a bell." She put a sharp nail to her lip in thought.

Gareki scowled. His own fangs clenching together. "What did you do?" The question was low and threatening.

Her fingers tightened to my hair before forcefully turning me around towards him. She placed a long nail at my throat and mockingly leered at him.

"Don't take that tone with me or else this partner of yours gets cut. As well as them." She nodded her head at Avia, Seth, Rowen and Kiichi who were tide up. Leopard men stood by them on guard.

"Did you kill them?" He spat, unnerved by her threat. Did he really think she wasn't going to cut us. He had some nerve thinking she wasn't.

"Yes. " She answered easily. " What? You have a problem with that?"

"I do." He seethed deeply. " They were going to help us get through one of these realm gates. But now that they're dead whose going to help us now?"

My heart sank at this revelation. Was this really it. I hadn't even gone into battle and already my mission was over. But not in the way I'd imagined.

"We're only passing through. We'll be gone before you know it." I tried to reason with her.

She pulled on my hair. I winced. "I swear we will." I managed to say with difficulty.

She stared down at me casually. She debated if my words were true. I could tell by the look she gave me.

"I don't think so. Since the leopard people rule over this land now what I say goes. And I say no. You're not going anywhere. My kingdom has been starving ever since we moved in this place. But seeing you here with more of you held up outside, I'd say we'd be fed for about a year."

"I don't taste very good!" Rowen yelled, trying to get loose from the rope tide around his body.

"Silence!" She roared before turning to the men holding Gareki by the arms. "Take them away and prepare them for dinner."

"No!" I struggled against the guard holding my arms from behind.

The queen whirled around and slapped me hard across my face. So hard I went falling to the ground. My head fell against the sand. When I opened my eyes the scene was mixed in, clashing into each other.

I must've hit my head harder than I thought because there was this ringing in my ears. Slowly beginning to fade.

I looked up and could see blurs of Gareki fighting to get free from the guards grabbing hold of him.

I wanted to yell out but my mind felt groggy and couldn't control my mouth to form the words.

All I could do was lay there and watch. My eyes gradually came into focus and the ringing had stopped. But the world still moved lazily.

One of the leopard guards grabbed onto my ankles and began dragging me. I still couldn't move.

I began to hear light thuds slam onto the ground. I heard a girl's voice yell out Gareki's name.

I blinked for what felt like slow motion. I looked up once more and saw a leopard teenage girl run towards Gareki. Her thick red hair flowing against her back.

She was just as beautiful as the queen.

Her attire related to that of the queen's but the only difference was it was black. Her skin was a light tan with spots.

"What are you doing?" The queen yelled after her.

She continued running towards Gareki who'd stopped fighting to stare at her as if surprised to see her. "Kara?" He muttered in realization.

I wondered how he knew her name.

One of the leopard guards grew tired of dragging me and instead pulled me back up on my knees.

"Kara!" The queen shouted.

But she ignored her again and fell into Gareki's chest before leaning up and placed her full lips against his.

My heart sank as shock fluttered into me. No longer did I feel drowsy. All of it had left me as soon as she pressed her lips on what was mine.

The whole room seemed to grow stiff and silent. Everyone had their eyes glued onto Gareki and Kara.

The guards still held onto his arms which kept him from pushing her away but still he could've moved his head at least. Or even kick her to prevent the kiss.

But he did neither. He just stood their taking in the kiss that wasn't done by me. He looked shocked at first put then passive. As if accepting it.

I didn't know if it was just jealousy making me see these things and think these options but I hadn't felt so angry in this way before.

I was over come by jealousy.

My blood boiled. I felt like doing something risky. And so I did. I broke free from the tight grip on my arms and harshly elbowed both guards in their chests, sending them falling back.

I moved forward. Two more guards stepping in my path.

My hands grew hot with flames.

One of them pounced on me. I side stepped and grabbed his neck with a curve of my arm before placing my flaming hand against his face. He roared, clawing at the ground before becoming still.

I dropped his limp body before dodging a swing that would've sliced into my leg. The other guard was attacking me now.

He roared at me. Aiming another swing. I moved aside for that one too.

I inhaled deeply before yelling out a breath of fire from my throat. He roared again before scurrying away.

I jumped over the fight Avia, Seth, Rowen and Kiichi had with the leopard guards.

Somewhere between me getting loose they had gotten free as well and began fighting.

I pulled out my sword as soon as I made it to Gareki and Kara. I pointed it at her and glared.

She had her arms wrapped around his neck. Kissing him despite what was happening around her.

The guard holding his arms from behind let him go only to come attack me.

I took no time in putting him down. I redirected my attention to her. She was now looking up at me. I pointed my sword at her.

Gareki lightly tried to push her off of him but she wouldn't budge.

"Let him go." It wasn't an innocent order but a cold one.

Gareki looked at me. "Yogi—"

"Stay. Out. Of this." My tone was harsh. I would deal with him later but now she came first.

She looked between Gareki and I before retracting her arms.

"I see you've moved on, Gareki." She looked stone hard at me with something I could only depict as envy.

It was my turn to look between them. Was I hearing things. I hoped that was the case. I kept my eyes on him and he stared strait at me, hard.

"What the hell is she talking about?"

He just stared at me. His eyes saying it all.

I gave him a betrayed look. Shaking my head slowly. This wasn't happening.

"Kara!" Yelled the queen who marched up to us but stopped dead in her tracks once I grabbed Kara and held the blade to her neck.

She pointed her spear at me. I gave her a warning by pressing my sword a centimeter closer to Kara's throat. "Think before you act," I said.

Behind her I saw the guards all being handled by both Rowen and Kiichi's fleets who came running down the stairs. They came just in time even though we told them to stay on the ships.

"Is this your daughter?" I asked her.

She nodded. " And if you hurt her I won't help you find the correct realm gate you seek. I'm only guessing that fleet from the Ice castle belongs to you too. I won't let any of them live if you kill my daughter."

I glowered at her. Truth be told I couldn't just kill them both and hope to find the realm gate that led to my realm, nor could we find the missing fleet in this huge temple. We were running on spent time. I needed their help no matter how much I despised considering it.

Reluctantly I let Kara go and she went strait to her mother who hugged her.

"Why did you kiss him?" The queen looked right at Gareki.

"I was only glad to see him. I didn't want you to kill him," Kara said.

"Why?" Her mother continued. "They can't be here. This is our home now. We need to protect it. Even if that means we have to kill."

Kara eyed Gareki before facing her mother again. "This boy's name is ,Gareki. He's prince of the Citadel Ice Kingdom. We were once together. . .as a couple. But in secret. I didn't want you to find out. You're already too over protective of me. I wanted some freedom."

Her mother was speechless but I wasn't.

I crossed my arms and turned to glare at Gareki. He glanced up at me.

"Don't look at me like that," he said.

I shrugged. " So when were you going to tell me?"

"Never." He walked past me but I grabbed his arm.

"You kissed her! Why?" I snapped. He shook me off and turned to face me.

"I never kissed her. She kissed me. You were too jealous to see the truth."

"What you two had going on better had been over when I was exposing all my feelings towards you."

"It was," he said. " what we had was over a long time ago before you came here. "

"Was it?" I couldn't help but be skeptical.

He took a sincere tone with me. "Yogi, you know where my feelings lay between you and me. When I said I love you I meant it. I may not be able to decide where our futures lay with each other but you know how I feel about you. Would I honestly kiss someone else when I already have feelings for you?"

I stared into his eyes. I could taste the honesty floating off of him as well as hope that I would believe him. My tense shoulders sunk in realization.

He was telling the truth. How could I have possibly thought that he would do something that wrong to me. Even that seemed too out of character for him. Once again I'd let my anger control me and now it was my jealousy I felt ashamed for it.

"I'm sorry."

He looked like he didn't want to forgive me. "You can owe me later but now we need to find the realm gate that leads to your realm."


	48. RISE P1

The realm gate stood right in front of me. The portal that would take me home.

My eyes reflected it's bright out worldly colors, red mixing in with purple and pink surrounding the black hole that looked empty. Streaks of wild static left it's wide open void keeping a steady breeze through my hair. It stood taller then me. I supposed all realm gates varied in size as well as color.

The towering crystals situated on either side of the portal all glowed a vibrant rose gold. Allowing the realm gate power to continuously keep working.

This was it. The moment I'd been waiting for. The day that I would finally avenge my parents.

Gareki stepped beside me along with Seth, Avia, Kiichi, Rowen and Gabriel. All of us eyeing the gate.

Shortly after our fight had ended with the leopard people. Kara's mother, the queen led us to the dungeons in order to free the Ice Castle's fleet before leading us all to the realm gate that would take us to my world.

Apon freeing Gabriel from his cell he'd hugged Gareki like his life had counted on it. I hadn't blamed him though. The leopard people did threaten to eat him and the rest of the soldiers.

"Are you ready for this?" Gareki asked. His own strands of hair blowing about his forehead.

I glanced at him and found a serious expression masking his face. I turned back to the gate. My own features becoming dour.

My right hand gliding against his left before intertwining or fingers in a hand lock.

He held my hand tightly and I did the same to his. "I am. But just to let you know. If something happens to us during this war—"

"Nothing will." He interrupted. "I'll be fine and so will you."

I shook my head. "Just let me say it." I looked down at him. He waited for me to continue. So I did. "I love you more than life it self. Figure I should say it one last time since this probably will be my last time seeing you before you head back to the Ice Kingdom."

He furrowed his brows. "There's still a chance you could come with me. You're giving up hope that your sister is alive to take your place at the throne?"

I shook my head. "Of course not. I wanted to say that to you just in case things don't work out how I want them to. Just in case if she can't take over the throne and I would have to stay."

He stared at me. Taking in my words.

"We have a war to fight," Seth said aggravation when he took too long to reply.

Gareki threw an annoyed glare in his direction. "I know." He turned back to me. He held up our locked hands. "Have some faith, will you? After all, you were the one who always told me to have that."

I searched his face before cracking a small smile. "Okay."

He turned his head to the three fleets standing behind us. "Let's go! We have a war to win."

With that said we let go of each others hands and ran forward. Everyone following my lead as I jumped into the realm gate for what was to come.

My body passed through the void. An invisible current pulling me in once I jumped into the black hole.

White flashes blurred my vision on entry. No sooner had it done that my body felt like it was falling from a hundred stories.

A cacophony of colors exploded behind my closed eyelids. Each of them varying in size.

It didn't take long for shapes to start stretching out in my head. None of this was new to me. During my first time in a realm gate it had been exactly like this.

I opened my eyes, looking down and saw a black void surrounded by dark red fog swirling around me like a vortex. I reached forward to touch the inky blackness out of curiosity. But it was out of reach even though it appeared close.

A strong gust of wind blew against me as my body continued to fall. I felt weightless with the constant feeling of my heart rising to my throat.

I suddenly began to fall faster. If that was even possible. My body went limp and I began spinning. I looked down again and saw a white speck of light that grew as I got closer. It became brighter and brighter until it became hard for me to see.

I closed my eyes just as my body passed through the white glimmer.

The realm gate propelled Gareki and I out before Avia, Seth, Rowen, Kiichi, Gabriel and the onslaught of soldiers.

The force caused me to hit the ground and roll along the dirt with them.

I rolled fast. The blur of the world around me became dizzying. Finally I slid to a stop on my back. I laid there for a few seconds before blinking my eyes open and found my vision spinning. I held back the urge to vomit as I went to sit up.

But Gareki came rolling on top of me. I fell back down with a thud. The force of my weight disturbing the dirt causing it to flutter up. I groaned. My face pulling into a cringe.

I opened my eyes again and eyed the floating specks of dirt. Dirt didn't do that. I looked closer at the dark grey specks floating upwards. It wasn't dirt but ashes. Lots of them.

Gareki sat up on top of me. Rubbing his head to recover his own dizzy vision. When he could see again he noticed the ashes. They covered the ground for miles. There was layers of them. So much I couldn't even see the grass.

"Holy hell." He whispered in shock and got off of me. Ashes falling off of his dark clothing.

I pushed myself to my feet and eyed the wasteland of my realm. It was nothing like my vision had showed me. Something must've happened that altered the future. Either that or we had arrived late to save what little Sun Kingdom was left.

"Don't tell me that this dark lord did all this?" Avia moved toward us as she looked around at what used to be my world.

Now Vileus had claimed all of it. We were late to come here and I wouldn't be surprised if my castle was entirely demolished in ruins.

I swallowed hard to dislodge the lump in my throat. My hands clenched into fists. My realm had turned dark and dead with an eerie fog that hung stubbornly in the atmosphere. The air smelled burnt. The sky was covered in shadowy black clouds. It was nothing like the homeland I'd lived in. It was dull and empty. Dead silence surrounded us all.

Vileus had succeeded. He turned what was once light into Hell.

My body heated up as anger enveloped me. My emotions were high but held no room for crying. Gareki dropped a hand on my shoulder. "It's alright, Yogi. We'll win your realm over."

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. "Oh I know we will. Mark my words Vileus won't steal from me and get away with it. He'll pay. I swear he will." I gritted out.

He nodded in understanding.

"All of you need to see this," Gabriel said with caution. He frowned at me with pity.

We all turned to him. He stood on a mound of ash looking at the ruins of my castle. All of us made our way over to him. We stared at the damage.

Even my castle had changed from the appearance in my vision. It was crumbled with black walls as if it had been burned. Only half the structure stood while the rest toppled over on the ground. Forming small disfigured walls.

"I've seen better kingdoms," Seth muttered.

"I imagined what Vileus's reign would look like, but I hadn't imagined this." Rowen spoke in astonishment. "Yogi, I'm sorry."

I nodded in appreciation for his sympathy. But I didn't take my eyes off of my castle. My glare turned hard.

"So what's our first move?" Kiichi insisted. "I don't see an opposing army any where in sight. Do we just go knocking on this man's door?"

"Don't be stupid," Gareki snapped," Vileus knows we're here if he has a brain he'll be prepared to kill us on sight. We can't just go walking out without knowing what he has in store."

"Well I don't see anyone else giving any bright ideas," she quipped.

The sound of their argument slowly faded in the background as I eyed my kingdom. The stench of ash wafting through my nostrils.

The wind gradually picked up from the North. Lifting up the ashes from the ground into a fluttering mess around us. I concentrated on a course of action. My mind trained on vengeance and nothing else.

I closed my eyes. A flash of memories came crashing down in my head. I recalled Vileus killing my parents. The way my mother's body lay dead on the floor on the very day she gave me the royal amulet. I remembered feeling my father's soul leaving me behind as he died on that same day.

The pain and misery were still fresh inside me like a new wound. Back then I hadn't done anything but send Vileus back to his kingdom. Not today. Today he would die. By me. And only me.

My eyes fell open.

I watched the grey specks flutter past me. The wind moving my hair away from my eyes. I followed the wave of ashes, turning away from my kingdom, I faced South.

Vileus would be in that direction.

The sky rumbled with purple lightning. No sooner had a clap of thunder set off I heard the distant sound of marching feet. I took a step forward and looked beyond the fog. Vileus's army of rock giants, trolls, and lava beings all set foot in our direction. It was time to make a move.

I turned to everyone. "Avia, Rowen and Kiichi get your men ready in front of my castle and be ready to charge forward on my mark."

Gareki whipped around to face me. "Did you not just hear me explain why we shouldn't do th—"

"They're coming." I barely gave him time to finish his sentence.

Surprise pulled at his face. "How? We didn't make a move yet."

He fell into step beside me as I followed Kiridian's fleet down to the front of my castle where Kiichi and Avia already worked to get their men situated.

"He must've put a signaling spell all over this land that would indicate Yogi's arrival." Gabriel answered. "I can feel a spell casted here and it sure as hell doesn't feel like any of our magic."

"Shit." Gareki hissed. "We don't have time to do checkups on all of the soldiers if Vileus is after us now. How far out were they?"

"At tops we got five minutes before they're on us," I said. I hadn't seen Vileus among them. He must've been in his castle watching over the battle. I saw that as a coward move.

"That's not enough." He growled. "Speed it up Rowen! We need to be ready."

"I'm on it!" He replied, moving faster to get his men in order. Yelling out instructions and battle tactics.

"I can't believe I was forced into this war. This better be worth it, human." Seth spat. "You better not lose to this man. Or I'll—"

"Or you'll what?" Gareki scowled at him. "We're in the middle of a battle and yet you're still making threats, really?"

"It's okay, Gareki," I said. "I have bigger things to think about than him right now. Just as long as he remembers our plan on this mission."

Seth said,"Yeah I remember your damn plan so does Avia. I won't venture off too far in battle. I know all four of us have to group up in order to go inside Vileus's castle. Avia and I will get your sisters out safely. Don't even nag me about it." He walked off to where his sister was positioned in front of the Ice Castle's fleet.

I turned back to Gareki as we stopped right in front of all three fleets. "Stick close to me while we're fighting."

"I was planning on saying the same to you," he said turning around to face our army. Speaking to them loud and clear with courage.

"You all better be ready! They're coming for us to kill so I want all of you to fight as hard as you can. We aren't going to lose. We've put too much at stake to just die in vein.

"Keep in mind that this man we're fighting against stole from one of your guardians. We won't let that sit well with us. He began this war and we're going to finish it and win. Raise your fists with me if you agree!" He thrust his fist into the air.

Every man raised their fists to the sky, yelling out for victory.

"Good. I want your weapons ready and shields raised."

"Let's end this," he said to me as he summoned his glaive in a flash of blue sparks. A fire in his eyes I hadn't seen before.

I yanked out my sword and held it ready. "Let's."

His eyes and tattoos glowed a royal blue. They were vibrant against the darkness surrounding us. He set a hand on my shoulder giving me a surge of energy. "So you can run fast like me. It's temporary." He explained.

"Thanks."

In the distance I heard the sound of heavy feet. I looked strait ahead. The thick fog blocking my view.

"They're here," Gareki said. His eyes glaring into the mist. "It's now or never,Yogi. We need to charge at them now that they're close."

Both Seth and Avia came at our sides.

She held her machetes ready as Seth prepped three arrows in his bow. Aiming ahead. "What are we waiting for?!" He snapped.

"Wait!" I yelled at him.

A clap of thunder roared over the battle field. A stretch of silence filled the air once more except for the marching of the dark army.

I held up a hand to signal everyone to keep waiting.

I needed an opening. I wanted to see them before charging forward in this thick fog. An unseen enemy was more dangerous than one you could see.

Suddenly the sound of flames igniting came. I looked up and saw red splotches of fire balls flying down to us. They broke through the fog. Coming down like eerie drops of rain.

"They're doing the same first attack the Fire District did!" I yelled.

"No they're not." Gareki grabbed my hand. Our fingers locking as he raised them both up to the sky. "Form a shield with me!"

A wave of power from him wavered through my arm. It filled me with determination. I fed him some of my own power. Giving into the urge to push it out.

An invisible force filled unleashed from us like a strong puff of air. I felt it pass through me. I sensed it increasing and circle around our army as well as us.

I looked up at our hands and saw gold and blue light emit from them.

"It should hold for a while. Long enough until this battle is over," Gareki said, letting go of me.

We all faced the opposing army as they emerged from the fog into our view. They walked intimidatingly.

I knew every single one of them were the people who resided in my kingdom. I would save them from living a horrible fate with Vileus. That was the oath I swore to them as their soon to be king.

Now was the perfect moment to attack. I clenched my sword before whipping it out towards the dark army. "Attack!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

A battle cry roared out from the soldiers on my side before they all stampeded towards the enemy. The fire balls raining down from above slammed against the shield and onto the ground. Kicking up ash and starting up fires. But it did nothing to hurt us.

"Let's move!" Gareki told Avia, Seth and me. All four of us sprinted forward, ahead of our army. All of our footfalls slamming against the ground creating a loud quake.

Once the opposing army saw us running at them they began to run toward us as well.

My legs propelled me faster than I'd ever run before.

I was at top speed like an actual Avatar. The world around me blurred past in slow motion but I was still moving with speed. Gareki ran besides me but to my disbelief he was still far faster than me.

How exactly fast was he.

I focused on the mission at hand. We were closing in on the opposing army. Once we had I aimed my sword at my first victim and struck the troll in the gut. Blood slapping against the left side of my face from the blow.

Just like I'd seen in my vision the dark magic fell away and crystalized the person that'd been trapped in the troll's body.

Gareki swung his glowing blade. Cutting off the head of a lava being before it could attack him.

It crystalized into another person from my kingdom.

He swung his glaive again. Cutting clean through two more opponents. Next he ducked down when a rock giant attempted to shove him aside. He jumped onto it's arm once it passed over his head and dragged the blade of his glaive against it's limb before slicing upwards. Cutting in the center of the giant's face.

I watched it fall and crystalize into a person.

He jumped down into a crouch before snapping his head around to me. "Behind you!"

I turned with a raise of my sword and cut into a troll just in time before he could hit me.

To my left I saw a flash of red coming right at me. Lava spewed from a lava beings mouth, ready to burn me.

I lurched back bumping into a rock giant who lifted it's fist ready to pound me.

I side stepped when his fist came barreling down before throwing a fire ball at it's face. The impact sent him stumbling giving me enough time to cut off his legs before stabbing my sword through it's gut. It's body crystalized quickly after that.

Just when I was about to turn and fight another opponent a splatter of lava nearly hit me. I looked up only to see the same lava being from before getting ready to spit out another wave of lava at me.

I lifted my sword. Angling it to block my face. It swarmed with flames from my concentration. I used it as a shield at the lava being spat at me.

I dropped low when it clawed at my arm. I was lucky it hadn't cut me. But despite my wishful thinking it lunged at me. Jaws wide open.

I made a move to strike it with my sword but before I could an arrow shot into it's head. Freezing it's body instantly. Crystallizing the person that had been trapped inside the lava being's body.

I looked up to see Seth glaring down at me before placing another arrow in his bow and ran off.

I clicked my tongue in irritation at his attitude. What was his deal. If he wanted me to die then he should've just let the lava being kill me. But no, he wanted to do it himself. As if I'd allow that.

"Yogi, which direction are we headed?!" Avia bellowed to me over the loud crashes of fire balls against the shield. She helped me to my feet. As she did I saw a troll running up behind her.

I pulled away from her and enveloped my hand in flames. I threw it outwards sending a rush of fire at the troll. It burned away the dark magic. A cloud of black smoke mixed with flames left the victim's crystalized body.

"Thanks." She turned back to me.

"We're heading South." I told her. "But in order to reach his castle we're going to need to clear our way through this mass of his soldiers."

"Okay. I'll stick by you from this point on."

"Try to keep up." I cut into another opponent.

"Keep in mind that you're talking to an Avatar. I'm genetically faster than you."

She flung out one of her machetes. Cutting and dislodging three opponents at once. Her machete swung back to her. She caught it before flinging it again.

"Nice trick." I offered, throwing balls of light at a rock giant who advanced at me. He swung blindly at my attack spells, trying to block them. One of them had hit him in the eyes allowing me the opening I needed.

I pulled my sword back with two hands to the side of my face before forcing my weight against it. The flames swarming around my blade still blazing as I propelled forward and cut into the rock giant's abdomen. I put him down quickly before going to the next enemy.

Avia had gone out of my sight. The cluster of Vileus's dark army must've blocked her from my view.

I turned swiftly on my toes. Lifting my sword and struck down on a troll. Cutting it in half. Once it's body fell I saw Seth standing a few feet away from me pointing an arrow in my direction.

I stared at him for a second. Wondering if he was aiming at another one of Vileus's henchmen. If he was, he didn't shoot. Normally for him once he saw a target he shot it immediately. Unless. . .he was aiming it somewhere else.

The cold stare he gave me was enough evidence to tell me exactly what he was planning on shooting.

My heart lurched with adrenaline.

I glared at him, anger filling me. "Seth, stop—!" Pain lashed my shoulder. He missed my heart by inches. I cried out, dropping my sword before sinking into a kneel as I gripped at my shoulder. One of his arrows lodged deeply into my flesh. Frost began to slither against the skin there.

If I didn't pull it out I would freeze into a statue. I glowered at him when I reached up and gripped the arrow. I pulled slightly and cringed at the intense pain.

He stared right back at me, cold and dangerous as he placed another arrow in his bow and aimed at me once more. I doubted he would miss my heart this time.

I heard a growl from behind and without thinking I turned and stared into the red eyes of a lava begging, taking my eyes off of Seth had been a mistake.

I heard the sling of his bow snap as he shot the arrow. Everything happened fast. I was trapped between two enemies not being able to handle both of them at the same time.

The lava being opened his mouth, lunging at me. Prepared to decapitate me when suddenly a long silver blade cut into it's back, intruding out it's chest.

Avia's machete had saved my life.

I whipped around back to Seth's arrow. A blur of blue light zipped in front of me. I looked up to see Gareki pointing out his glaive. His blade shot out a pulse of static that went strait through the arrow and hit Seth in his chest. Making him fly backwards onto the ground.

"Seth!" Avia screamed. She had turned just in time to see Gareki strike him. But she hadn't seen her brother try to kill me.

She pulled her machete back. Getting ready to throw it at Gareki but I intervened. "Avia, don't!" What the hell was she thinking.

I knew the situation looked bad to her considering she hadn't seen entirely what'd happened. But trying to hit Gareki with her weapon was going too far.

Gareki lowered his glaive and averted a lethal glare at her. "You told me you would watch out if he did anything else to harm Yogi. He just tried to kill him."

"I didn't see him." She defended harshly. "Do you not see all these enemies we have to fight? I don't have eyes at the back of my head."

Gareki walked up to her. Looking beyond pissed off.

"Gareki," I said with warning, trying to distract him before he took his anger out on her even more. I didn't believe any of what happened was her fault but he obviously thought other wise.

He ignored me, coming to a stop in front of her and spoke low in a dangerous tone. "I'm not going to do it now because we need his help on this mission but once we get back to the Arcial Realm I'm going to personally kill your brother. What he did just now was the last straw."

She shook her head and spoke sternly. "Don't do it. You of all people know he's the only family I got left."

"You're the only family you have left now," he said coolly. "Go gather your brother up."

She picked up her other machete. Giving one last look at him before running towards Seth who sat up with one of the soldiers from our side's help.

He turned to look at me. Rushing at my side, he looked at the arrow.

"What the hell happened?" Rowen, Gabriel and Kiichi ran up to us. Rowen was the one who had asked.

"White haired jackass just tried to kill, Yogi." Gareki spat. "He's dead once we get back in our world."

"Seth did this? You're kidding." Gabriel looked taken aback.

"Do I look the type to joke around?" Gareki gave him his most serious glare.

"I take it back," he said quickly.

"That doesn't look so good," Rowen pointed at my rapidly freezing arm.

"What can we do to help?" Kiichi butted in.

"What you can do is guard off these monsters surrounding us so I can yank out this arrow."

"Yank it?! I stared at him in disbelief. I knew I would need to get it out sooner or later but just the slightest pull had been agonizing.

His blue-grey eyes fell back onto me. "It's gotta come out some how."

Rowen, Gabriel and Kiichi all moved into a circle around us and began fighting off the monsters that'd come close to us during our discussion.

Gareki gripped the arrow and looked me strait in the eyes. "Ready?"

I winced at the added weight of his hand. I needed to get this over with. The sooner I did I would get to take down Vileus. "Do it," I said, I held my breath.

He pulled hard. The sharp pain of the arrow coming loose made me scream. I inhaled deeply. My lips pursing tightly together. Breathing heavily through my nose, trying to distract my brain from the sensation.

He threw away the arrow before unfreezing my arm. "You're okay now." He traced my cheek with his hand before pulling me to my feet. "We need to go."

"Wait," I pulled him to a halt.

"What?" He looked at me.

"I know Seth's an asshole and deserves to die especially after what he just did," I said ," but Avia does need him. She doesn't deserve to experience more death in her family. You and me both know how that feels."

He shook his head in denial. "If I consider letting him live he'll try and kill you again."

"I know I'm saying something stupid but I'm saying this for her. Not only you, Gareki but she's also the main reason why I'm even here in my realm. I owe her for saving my life. I won't let Seth kill me. Trust me."

He turned and struck a troll with electricity.

"Please, Gareki." I furrowed my brows.

His shoulders sunk. Finally he turned to me after thinking. "Fine. Life imprisonment it is then."

I nodded, taking a step towards him. As soon as I had I felt the ground rumble beneath me. In the corner of my eye I saw an immense ball of flames crash down right next to us, kicking up ashes, dirt and rocks. No sooner had it done so Gareki, Kiichi, Rowen, Gabriel and I went flying. A gust of heat rushing up towards us in mid air.

The ball of fire exploded. Emitting a heat wave that pushed us until we landed with a thud against the ground.

As soon as I hit the ground everything went black.

I laid there on my front for I don't know how long. But when I came to I was disoriented and hurt. I opened my eyes slowly. My lashes covered in ashes as well as my hair. My vision was blurry but came into focus slowly.

Flames and fog was the first thing I saw.

My head ached with the constant ringing in my ears. I quickly realized I couldn't hear anything but that.

I coughed. The smell of burnt ashes stinging my throat. I heard muffled screams and the out break of battle echo around me. It notified me that my hearing was gradually returning.

I cringed when I went to push myself up. My arms had red rashes on them from the flames and my denim jacket as well as the rest of my clothing had gotten tattered.

I coughed again when I got myself into a kneel. Shaking the ashes from my hair I looked up at the sky. I sensed that the shield was still up so one of the lava beings must've thrown the fire ball at us from the inside. That was the only conclusion I could think of.

I looked back down lazily. My brain working slow. I was missing something important. But I didn't know what.

"Yogi?" Rowen stumbled towards me. His armor smudged with burns. His arm bled all the way down to his finger tips.

I looked up at him. "God, Rowen." I gasped standing up I raised his uninjured arm over my shoulders and braced one of my arms around his torso helping him walk.

"It's just a scratch. Don't worry about me, I can find my own way out. But your priority right now should be, Gareki. I can find the others." He insisted.

I nearly dropped him right then and there. But I did stop walking. My eyes widened. What the hell was I thinking. I wasn't thinking at all. That was the important thing my mind had been urging me to remember.

Where was Gareki. I needed to find him. The fire ball had been hot enough to kill him. What would I do if he was dead—no, I wouldn't let it come to that. But he was my priority and I had had the nerve to forget all about him.

"I need to go," I said hurriedly.

He nudged me off of him. "Go, Yogi. I'm fine. Go find your guardian link."

I ran into the fog. My boots thudding against the ash covered ground.

No enemies were around in this area. I could only guess they had been wiped out because if the fire ball.

I stopped running. I needed to think. Not panic. The only way I would find him was by concentrating on his magical pulse. They may have not been connected anymore but that didn't mean I couldn't detect it.

I closed my eyes breathing calmly. I focused on a specific point. Maping my brain out like a radar. Keeping my mind open for Gareki's wave length.

Something cold and rugged.

I waited a few seconds. Scanning the perimeter. My eyes flew open. I found him.

I moved forward quickly. Looking carefully at the ground I felt his magical pulse get closer.

I waved my hand to fan away the fog but to no avail it stayed. So much for trying to see. The fog was making it difficult. My eyes scanned the ground when suddenly I tripped over something and fell.

I pushed myself to all fours. Getting the sense that Gareki's magical pulse was closer than it had been before.

I whirled around and that's when I saw him. I had tripped over his legs. His body was nearly covered in ashes as he lay on his side.

I crawled over to him brushing off the ash as quickly as I could before pausing to examine his body. All the relief I'd felt for seeing him drowned away.

His shirt was stained with fresh blood from a cut on the right side of his torso.

I ripped a piece of my tank top before pulling up his shirt and tightly wrapped it around his wound to stop the bleeding.

I also noticed his arms in some places had burnt markings on them looking similar to a bad rash like mine. Clothing was tattered. His face had black smudges from the ash and fire mixed together. He had another cut on his temple. It bled freely down the side of his face.

He must've gotten hit in the head with a rock during the explosion.

He looked horrible. But so did I.

His eyes were open halfway with parted lips. But they looked unfocused and pale.

I slid a hand against his chest. Preparing for the worst. But once my palm made it over his heart I felt it beating. I sighed in relief.

He was just out cold.

"God, Gareki," I said to myself. " how many times are you going to scare me like this?"

I picked up his hand and kissed the back of his fingerless leather glove. I wrapped our fingers together. Clasping his hand in mine.

I had high hopes that he would be alive and yet he was. I was already hurting enough at my parent's deaths. I couldn't lose someone else I cared about.

I pulled him into a hug. Light enough to keep from hurting him.

He moved suddenly. Slowly his arms moved against my back, pressing me closer to him. He hugged me back. I pressed my cheek against his. "I'm here." I whispered. "You're fine now."

For a moment we stayed like that. Surrounded by the chaos of battle and piles of fire. But at some point our embrace had to end even though I didn't want it to.

"We have to get inside that castle," I said, standing up with one of his arms slung around my shoulders as I held him against my side with my other arm strung around his abdomen. Exactly how I had held Rowen minutes prior.

He could stand which was good, but I didn't trust him walking just yet.

"You have any solutions on how we do that?" He held his wounded torso. The blood from his shirt sticking to his fingers.

"Sadly, no." I sighed. "We need to clear a path through his army in order to reach it. So far I don't see that happening. There's so many of them."

He glanced up at me. "I got a plan but it might not work as well as it did during the gargoyle attack since I'm wounded and too weak to heal myself. But It's worth a shot."

I eyed him warily. I knew what he was talking about. That large shield we had made that killed all the gargoyles once we clasped hands back on Hirato's ship.

But that had been done because of the dramatic moment of me hoping he hadn't died. I didn't know if we could form it again when nothing like death had threatened or lives at this very second.

We made it away from the flames and met back up with Kiichi, Gabriel, Rowen, Avia, and Seth.

Gareki's body temperature dropped degrees lower once his eyes laid on Seth's. Making the air chill violently. I felt like shivering even more so since he was leaned up against me.

He let go of me and moved towards Seth. Avia and I watched him carefully. I anticipated the blow before it'd even happened.

Gareki punched him hard in the face. The force sending him falling. Everyone stared at them now as Avia went to help her brother up. She looked at me apologetically before facing Gareki again.

"Consider yourselves lucky." He seethed at them both before motioning to me. "Looks like your brother won't be dying thanks to a voice of reasoning."

She looked back to me in surprise. She then smiled gratefully.

"You're welcome." I turned to everyone. "Are all of you okay enough to continue fighting?"

"That's a trick question, right?" Kiichi quipped, she looked banged up from the explosion more so than anyone else. But she was still standing which was good.

Gabriel stepped in. "We're fine besides a few cuts and burns. We can manage."

I gave them all an added stare of wariness.

"I think we should try your plan," I said to Gareki.

He nodded ordering everyone but Avia and Seth to continue fighting. "It's time we end this war." He told them.

Seth stood up. Bleeding from his nose. He avoided eyes with me. Definitely not out of fear.

"We plain on forming a deflection shield around all four of us. It'll ward off any enemies that'll get in our way while we head in the direction of Vileus's castle." He explained.

"Are you sure it'll work? You don't look so good." Avia pointed out.

"It'll work." He faced me, lifting his hand between us for me to grab. I raised my own up and grasped it. "Are you up for this?"

"Yogi, I'm fine. Just focus on collaborating your magic with mine." He held my hand tighter. I did as told and began concentrating on my magic.

A whole sensation filling me as he too did the same. My arm stiffened as a pulse of my elements surged through my veins like a flowing river. My hand wavered with energy and soon a glow of gold and blue light from our palms emerged.

It was a bright flash of light that nearly blinded me. But I kept my eyes open. Feeling Gareki's magic course through me before coming out and returning like a cycle.

"Now," he said.

Starting from our gripped hands emitted a strong push. It felt like a force field had pushed through my body. A clear purple-blue shield rippled around the four of us.

He let go of me. We all took in the shield. I reached out and touched it. It swayed like water but felt strong enough to deflect any enemies.

"I don't think we can keep this up for long," Gareki said, " So we'll need to run."

We nodded before sprinting forward through the war. The shield following over us like a beacon. It flung aside any upcoming enemy just like we thought it would. We ran fast. The added on speed Gareki had given me acted with my legs and feet. Making me feel as if I was barely touching the ground.

The battle field stretched out longer than I had thought. Nearly two miles. Vileus's dark army didn't even look like it was dissipating until we reached half a mile out to his castle. His army had been way bigger than anticipated.

Once we broke free from the battle field that was when the shield decided to begin breaking. It started to crack. A small one at first but as we continued running it grew bigger and was starting to spread.

We caught some of the attention from Vileus's henchmen. They roared and hissed as they stampeded after us.

Gareki and I attempted to fix the shield. But it was breaking too quickly. Every time we fixed a piece it broke again.

"It's not working!" I yelled in frustration. The loud footfalls of the monsters behind us was closing in making my heart hammer in my chest.

"Just keep running!" Avia screamed.

My legs began to burn as I pushed forward faster. Sharp pieces from the shield fell on my shoulders. Vileus's castle was just a few yards away. We were going to make it.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind I heard a loud thud from behind. I turned only to see one of the trolls had tripped and fallen causing one monster after the other to trip. A rock giant skidded to the ground kicking up ash and soil coming up fast towards us.

I whirled back around. "Shit! Behind us!"

They all turned to look at the giant's body coming to crush us as it slid against the Earth quickly.

They turned back around.

"Go! Go!" Gareki yelled at the top of his lungs.

I pumped my legs faster. The burn reaching all over my body.

The large doors of Vileus's castle came closer now. Steps lining the entrance.

We climbed up them, wasting no time. The loud crash of the rock giant's body slamming into the stairs came close behind us. The force of it sent us all flying towards the doors that broke open thanks to a bolder colliding into it from the giant.

Slow motion hit us in mid air.

Dirt and ash kicked up in the background behind us.

Gareki front flipped uncontrollably. Trying to gain his balance.

Avia paddled through the air as if she were swimming but kept her legs bent towards the ground.

Seth rolled uncontrollably like Gareki.

And I soared with my legs and arms outstretched. My body starting to flip over.

The shield broke like glass once we flew through the open gates of the entrance.

Gareki regained his balance somewhat. He threw his hands forward and out came a blizzard of snow. He coated the ground in it just before we landed on what would've been a hard floor. It broke our fall.

We rolled till we came to a stop. All of us stayed silent and laid there for a few heartbeats. The doors of the entrance were completely demolished into a heap of debris.

The rock giant fell unconscious from the impact it had made with the stairs.

I panted. My legs feeling numb. I laid on my back against the snow which still felt foreign to me. But I had to admit. Against my burning legs it felt amazing.

Once I caught my breath and my heart had stopped racing, I sat up to find Gareki already on his feet. Avia and Seth beginning to stand like I was.

He walked over and pulled me to a standing position. "You good?"

"Now that we're here," I said eyeing the rock giant," but that was crazy. I thought that was my life."

"A lot of crazy things have happened today." He agreed.

I nodded before taking in the castle that belonged to my biggest enemy. I'd been here once before and everything looked the same.

Charcoal colored bricks made up the walls. Torches of flames were held against them casting shadows. It was spacious with long halls. Sealing windows that revealed the dark world he had created. His castle resembled that of Victorian.

I didn't like being here. I remembered the last visit my magic had weakened because of the difference in location from my kingdom. But I didn't feel it this time. I guess I really had evolved now being a guardian.

"We should keep moving," I said quietly. The halls were hollow and would cause my voice to echo. Sure enough Vileus most likely knew we were already here because of the loud entrance we'd made but if we stayed quiet he wouldn't find us in this big castle of his.

"Right," Avia said.

I led the way out of the entrance hall and down a grand stair well.

"Do you know where you're going?" Gareki asked.

"Honestly no," I admitted," but all dungeons in castles are in the basement."

"Jeez," Seth muttered under his breath. "We could get killed for this. Whose to say they're not held up somewhere else?"

"I know what I'm doing," I said defensively. "I don't need your two sense."

"I'm just pointing out the obvious. After all this is the enemy's territory he could be mind gaming us into thinking we're going the right way."

"Seth you need to stop," Avia cut in.

"No," he shook his head," this needs to be said. We're heading into a trap all because of this Outsider. If you wanna believe we're going the right way then let's hurry down these stares and see how wrong all of you are."

Gareki flashed a glare at him. "You wanna get down these stairs quicker I could throw your ass off right now."

"Thought you said you weren't going to kill me all because of him." He motioned towards me.

"I never promised," he said darkly.

"Enough," I stopped and turned to all three of them. "All I'm asking for from the three of you is to help me save my sisters and defeat Vileus. I need this arguing over the same shit to stop. But mainly I need you, Seth, to stop." I gave him a hard scowl. "I don't give a damn about you hating me because believe it or not I hate your ass more. Stop distracting us from this mission with your own personal problems and let me do my job as an older brother trying to get his sisters back and as a soon to be king to save his people and kingdom."

I turned on my heals and continued down the stares. They followed without saying another word. We made it down the rest of the stairs and walked down an upcoming corridor. Once I passed the corner I retreated back to it and kneeled down with my back pressed against the wall.

Gareki and the others quickly followed suit. He gave me a questioning look. I signaled to him that there were three guards patrolling the halls, all of them being trolls.

They had nearly seen me.

He turned and told them before whispering back to me that Avia would handle them. Before I got a word out about the arrangement she ran out and caught the attention of all three.

Once she had she flipped out her machetes and flung them at the two guards. They dropped and crystalized. Both machetes flew back into her hands and she ran forward at the last guard in a blur of speed and struck up. Her blade going clean into the troll's chin all the way out it's head. It's body crystallizing into another person from my kingdom.

She whipped her blade at the ground causing droplets of blood to splatter. We came out of hiding.

"Nice job," Seth commented her plainly.

She nodded in appreciation.

"I don't see anymore stairs. Must mean we reached the basement." Gareki looked at me. "Where to now?"

I took a look around and saw a handle peaking from the cobblestone floor. It was a hidden door. "This might be something." Crouching down I grabbed it with one hand while the other coursed with an aura of sunlight I planned to throw if another guard popped up inside.

All three of them crowded around me as I threw the door open. Pitch darkness greeted us. I waited and scrutinized it.

Something didn't feel right. I moved my glowing hand into the darkness to get a better view only to get scratched on the arm by long black claws.

I yelped snatching my hand away before throwing the aura of light into the darkness attempting to hit whatever it was that had scratched me.

The ball of light fell through the darkness but when it passed through it gave us insight of what was in the hole. Black shadows of lycans clung to the walls growling at the light. Their red eyes popping open once it passed. The hole became dark again as the light died away.

I looked down at my bleeding arm. Drops of blood fell to the floor. Gareki crouched beside me assessing the wound.

"It's deep. You need to cover it." He turned to Avia and Seth ."Do you two have anythin—" he cut himself off. I glanced at him wondering why until I took a look at both Avia and Seth finding them starring at my wounded arm.

Both of their expressions straining to hold back their thirsts for blood.

Avia moved away from me and turned the other way. She held her breath. But Seth didn't try much harder to hold back. He flew at me in a blur but Gareki threw himself against him. Shoving him hard to the ground. "Cover it!" He yelled at me as Seth struggled violently underneath him.

Avia threw a piece of her clothing at me as she covered her nose. I worked fast to wrap it around my wound. Once I had, they both settled down to my relief.

I didn't expect that. They must've gone through their breaking point. Not being able to hold back anymore. The same thing had happened with Gareki.

He held himself back the first few exposures of my blood but after he couldn't any longer he'd gone psycho and nearly killed me for a taste. I couldn't be around Seth and Avia in this state often knowing their Avatarian instincts would force them in the same state Gareki had been in.

Gareki removed himself from Seth who glowered at me. I ignored him and turned back to the hole. There was no doubt that my sisters were down there. For my sake I hoped they weren't dead already.

I needed to get to them fast. I didn't want to have to fight every single shadow beast down there. It had to be a faster way to get to them.

"We can freeze them," Gareki said, guessing what I was thinking.

"Will that work?"

"A hundred percent."

"Do it."

He stood up and faced his hands towards the hole before sending a rush of cold fog down into the hole. Barks from the lycans rang out as they froze over. The ones by the entrance of the hole had been taken care of. Gareki jumped down into the hole and began freezing the ones that'd been missed. When he was done he called up to us.

We all jumped down. My warm breath turning into mist once my feet made contact with the solid ground. It was freezing down here now because of the ice. I stood up with flames flowing around my hand and came face to face with a frozen lycan. I paused, staring for a split second into it's red beedy eyes. I turned away and saw more frozen lycans in the dark passage way.

There were cells down here. Most of them were empty.

Gareki led us further into the thin hallway. His eyes and tattoos lighting up the way. I looked in every cell we passed. They were empty as well. It wasn't until we had reached the end of the hall that a cell had two people laying inside.

I stared at the bodies speechlessly. They were here. Alive and sleeping. It wasn't until Gareki froze the bars open that they stirred awake and stared at him for a long moment before their eyes fell on Seth, Avia and finally me.

I held the flames in my hand up higher to my face so they could see who I was. Once I did realization flashed across their faces. Tears welled in their eyes.

They were in the same clothing they'd been in on the day I'd left, but the dresses were ripped and dirty. Their bodies were also a bit skinnier then I remembered them being. Vileus wasn't feeding them as frequently as they had eaten in the Sun Kingdom.

Gareki crouched down in front of them and reached a helpful hand out for them to grab. "We're here to save you. You're free now."

They eyed him with curiosity and slight confusion. Miu's eyes stayed transfixed on him. Mainly his glowing eyes and tattoos.

"Geisis no iesa," Tsukumo said in Rimahakkian.

I forgot about that. They hadn't studied a wide spread of world languages like me. So they couldn't speak Avatarian.

Gareki frowned. His own confusion setting in.

I elaborated. "She says she doesn't understand you."

"Right," he said slowly. But Miu pushed forward and grabbed his hand allowing his assistance to help her stand and walk out the cell. She kept looking at him curiously as if in awe about something.

I kneeled down and told them both what he had said. They scrambled out of the dungeon. Each of them hugging me tightly and I did the same to them.

"Where have you been this whole time?!" Tsukomo cried in my shoulder.

"We thought you were dead." Miu said in my other shoulder.

I closed my eyes. Keeping my own tears at bay but they came out anyway. "I know. I know," I said. " but I'm here now. And I'm going to get you out. Did he do anything to you?"

"No," they both said.

"Good." I let them go. "You both are going to leave the castle with Avia and Seth." I motioned to both of them standing behind me. "They'll guard and watch you while I go and fight Vileus. I'm getting our home back."

"We wish you luck. He's powerful, Yogi," Tsukumo said, hugging me once more.

"I've got some new power up my sleeve to defeat him with," I said.

Miu eyed Gareki who leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed. "Who are these beautiful people?"

That explained why she kept eye balling Gareki.

"They're Avatarians. People from the world I fell into once I jumped through the portal Vileus made. That's Gareki, he's a prince in that world."

Gareki brought his glowing eyes down on her, making eye contact causing her to smile. "He's hot."

I was glade he couldn't understand her. Leave it to Miu to make a serious situation dull. "He's spoken for," I said.

She looked at me in surprise. "By who?"

"By me." I smirked.

+0+0+0+0+0+

Gareki and I parted from Seth and Avia with my sisters once we made it back up to the main floor of the castle.

I watched them go with a pull of worry on my face.

"They'll be fine." Gareki stood beside me. "With Avia anyway."

"You think I made a mistake by putting Seth up for this?"

"No. He won't kill them. He's after you. Only you."

"Let's keep it that way for my sisters sakes."

We moved down another hall and up another stair well in order to locate the throne room. But what we found was an obstacle.

Gareki came to an abrupt stop and lifted an arm out in front of my chest, forcing me to stop as well.

He stared dead strait. Growling. "Come out. There's no point in hiding. I can smell you."

I looked ahead and saw dark shadows morph into view before revealing Zeek and Zaphora.

"Nice nose, pretty boy." Zaphora mocked.

"To bad you won't be able to use it for much longer. You're both dead once we're done with you," Zeek said, pulling out his long blade from behind his back.

Gareki summoned his glaive before speaking," Says the two idiots we defeated more than once. It should be more like: you two are the ones who's dead after Yogi and I are done with you."

Zeek laughed. "We're just getting warmed up. I'll be damned if we fail and let you near, Vileus. You stand no chance."

"I've waited to kill you since day one," Gareki said.

Zaphora stepped towards me. "Then let's all agree that this fight is our last and we fight till the death of our opponent."

"Deal," I said, before Gareki and I ran forward to attack them.


	49. RISE P2

**Music Choice—RISE—Katy Perry**

 **I won't just survive, oh you will see me thrive**

 **Can't write my story, I'm beyond the archetype**

 **I won't just conform, no matter how you shake my core**

 **Cause my roots they run deep**

* * *

I moved swiftly towards Zeek. Raising my glaive up high. I was ready to hit him full force.

He raised his hands sending a flurry of lightning bolts at me. "Not a chance, Avatar!"

I redirected my steps and jumped onto the railing that led away from the stairs and ran on top of it instead. Ducking down and flipping in order to dodge his attacks.

He was relentless. At one point he threw a strong bolt at me. But before it could even prickle my skin I twirled my glaive and caught it.

His attack now surged into the blade of my weapon and he was about to get it back.

A growl of frustration left him as he continued throwing his attack spells at me.

I hopped from the railing and flipped side ways into the air. Angling my body to miss one of his blows. It passed my ear in mere inches.

Rolling onto the ground I ended up in a kneel.

He whipped his head around to me and was about to throw another bolt but I swung my glaive causing the attack spell of his to go flying right into him.

He violently slid against the ground. His body breaking the floor until he burst through a far wall, making it crumble and dust to fall.

I stood up. Staring after him.

I felt a cautious hand on my wounded torso. I'd regained most of my strength since the fire ball explosion. I could already feel it healing.

Not quick enough though. I would have to be careful while fighting Zeek or else I could risk reopening the healed skin. Truth be told I would much rather heal it using my magic but that would take time. Time that I didn't have given the situation.

I looked up to see how Yogi was doing in his own fight with Zaphora.

They both had fire balls aiming at each other. Clashing in red and purple flames. The heat wave between their combat was intense. Only because they both had elements over fire. She was hit with one of his flames, knocking her back a few steps, but that didn't stop her from making a come back.

She had her whip out and slung it around his leg. She then pulled him up in mid air before throwing his body to the floor on the opposite side of her.

His sword slid away from him on impact. He attempted to reach for it only to be howled up in the air again by her whip. She flung him back to the cobblestone .

He yelled out from the pain.

"Dammit, Yogi," I cursed under my breath. I made a move to go and help him only to be struck by static. I went flying to the floor until I rolled to a stop.

It hadn't hurt me but it did kick enough punch to knock me off my feet.

I opened my eyes instantly noticing that my glaive had fallen from my grasp. I looked up and saw it a few feet away. "Shit," I hissed.

My ears twitched when I heard footsteps quickly running towards me.

My eyes darted towards my opponent and saw him right above me, aiming down a fist swarming with static.

But I caught it and flung his entire body aside. Zeek fell beside me and I took the chance to elbow him in his chin twice as hard to ensure he would stay on the ground while I regained my stance. I then moved to stand up only to have him kick my feet from beneath me. I went falling on my back with him on top of me.

He gripped my neck with one hand, punching me in the face with the other. I began to taste blood.

He got three good licks in before I gripped his fist. Clenching it hard. Ice began to slither up his arm and he fought to pull away from me. But I didn't let him.

His face twisted up. I couldn't help but smirk. "It. . .hurts doesn't it?" I choked out, struggling to breathe with his hand around my neck.

Finally, to get away from me he let go of my neck but not without giving me one last punch.

I let go of his frozen fist and watched him stand up. Looking at what I'd done to his arm. He shook with rage.

"You son of a—ugh!"

I controlled my glaive with a flick of a finger and sent the butt of it against his cheek, smacking him hard with it. I moved to my feet, grabbing it and swung it at him. He stepped back at the last second.

The very tip of my blade slid into the first layer of his abdomen. Not deep enough to kill him. I kept swinging. Each time he took a step back I took a step forward swinging hard and fast.

My patience was wearing thin with his actions. He wanted to be a coward. Fine. But I'd be damned if he was going to be one with me.

I fought with people who had the balls to fight back. He was beginning to piss me off.

I jumped up and swung down on him. He stepped back once more until I landed before swinging his frozen fist. Knocking me square in the face. I kneeled down to catch my footing and that was when he took another hit at the back of my head.

Everything went black as I hit the ground.

Next thing I knew when I opened my eyes Zeek was standing over me with his sword raised above my head.

"Looks like you weren't as strong as you thought," he said. "Gotta hand it to you though. You were a great opponent while it lasted. But now it has to end. Good thing is, you won't be alone in the after life. Yogi will be up there soon enough."

"No!" I lurched up and shoved him off with such a force he went sprawling into a pillar all the way across the hall. His body knocking it over. I reached forward and summoned my glaive into my hand and pointed it at him. "Don't you ever say that to me!" I growled. "I'm not going to let you kill him."

He detached himself from the pillar and gave me a dark look. "You both had it coming the moment he teleported my sister and I back here. What a nice ability that amulet has. Vileus no longer needs it but maybe I could put it up for good use. What do you think? Huh?"

I focused my magic into my glaive causing it to spark with blue static. "I say hell no. It'll be over my dead body first."

He whipped out his sword and pointed it at me. "Let me make that a reality then." He sprinted at me, I ducked one of his swings before straightening back up. Meeting his blade with mine.

I held my glaive with both hands. Pushing against his sword. Both of us coming face to face with nothing but menace written over them. I shoved forward, pushing him back. Running towards him I jabbed my weapon forward. I got him in the shoulder.

He grunted before taking a step at me with another strike. I ducked backwards, grabbing firmly on his wrist, I placed my back against his chest before howling him over my shoulders causing him to flip onto the floor.

I then pulled my glaive up and stabbed downwards at his chest. Before I could penetrate his heart he sent static against my stomach.

I fell back as if a burst of wind had pushed me. I landed against the stair railing once again but this time they broke from the impact and now half of my body was hanging over a long drop down. My glaive had fallen from my grip.

I moved to sit up only to be roughly shoved back down over the edge. Zeek's hands tightened around my neck. His body on top of mine making it harder to sit back up.

I held onto both his wrists and began freezing his limbs but he didn't give in this time. He kept his hands latched around my neck.

It grew hard for me to breathe real quick. My lungs spasmed for a gasp of air, soon starting to burn. I glared right into his eyes as my vision turned blurry.

The world around me faded into ink that mixed in the scenes. I could barely see his face but I did see his lips and the words he said sent me on edge.

I couldn't hear them but the way his lips moved I could form the words out in my head.

"Your comrade is dying next."

I closed my eyes. My body getting ready to give in but my resolve kicked in once the thought of letting down Yogi crossed my mind. What would happen if I died here know when I promised to myself that my fate would be to help him save his kingdom.

Nothing else mattered but him. If I let him down I would be ashamed of myself in the after life.

I started to think about all the good and bad moments we had. As if my life had flashed before my eyes but was mostly centered around Yogi.

They were strong and emotional, even for me. I got a heavy feeling in my heart from the sadness.

I couldn't let it end here. Not ever. Not as a guardian. I was strong. I was meant to protect, not die. Leaving my guardian link for the after life wasn't what Ivy and Ashanova passed down their titles to me for. I would live and fight as a guardian and an Avatar. Fighting was in my blood.

My eyes began to sting from uncontrollable tears that fell heavily down my face. I felt an immense surge of power course through my body.

My eyes flew wide open. Glowing bright blue as beams of electricity unleashed from them in a powerful burst of energy.

I aimed them strait into Zeek's eyes and he screamed. I put all of my emotions into them leaving no room for surprise at the fact that lasers were shooting from my eyes.

I broke his arms free from my neck and sat up. Continuing to shoot him in his eyes until both lasers entered his skull and out the back of his head. More tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Don't take my life away from me!" I yelled anger making my heart race.

His body slumped to it's knees before falling dead on the ground. But I kept shooting him for all that I was worth.

The lasers ceased with my control.

"Die!" I grabbed his sword, bending on my knees stabbing him repeatedly. Each hit heavy and fast.

I closed my eyes. Letting the pain and sadness take over me. "Just fucking die!" I cried. My eyes burned with new tears.

I struck down again. Blood splatters slapped onto my face.

A hand landed on top of mine. The one I held the sword with. It forced me to stop. I opened my eyes breathing heavily. I slowly looked at Yogi who kneeled beside me looking concerned.

"It's over, Gareki," he said softly. Carefully he removed the sword from my tight grasp and sat it aside.

I sat there starring at him. Clarity smacking me back into reality. The anger fell away from me. I'd lost my mind before but I hadn't thought it would happen again until now. This whole war was making me crazy.

Looking at him made the new tears slide down my cheeks. I closed my eyes and sank my head down. Crying hard now. No shame for doing so. No embarrassment that I was balling out like a baby in front of my guardian link. I didn't care.

I needed to cry my sadness away. I couldn't keep it stuffed inside anymore.

I cried because I didn't want to die and lose the one thing important to me. And that was Yogi.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his warm chest. Wresting his chin on top of my head while he rubbed my arm. Silently consoling me.

"It's over," he said again.

I covered my burning eyes with a hand. Wiping my tears away. I regained my barrings. The mission at hand putting me back into focus. I just had a quick melt down but it was over now.

I sighed, looking up at Zaphora's dead body a couple feet away. The fight with Zeek and his sister was over but this war wasn't. "It isn't over unless we kill, Vileus," I said seriously. "He's the key to all of this coming to an end."

He stayed silent for a few seconds. "I saw what you did."

I paused. Now that I could make sense of everything again I realized the impact of what I had just done. Full on lasers shooting from my eyes. I didn't even know how I'd done it or if I could control them again. It just happened. It had happened fast too.

"I find it ironic considering earlier today I was joking about this happening to you with, Avia." He continued.

I pulled away from him only to stare at his face curiously. "You jinxed me?"

"Seems that way. But we're even now. I can breathe fire and you shoot electricity from your eyes. Crazy."

"It's weird." I countered.

"It's both."

"When were you going to tell me you could breathe fire?"

He shook his head. "Figured you'd figure it out at some point."

I furrowed my brows at him. "How long has it been happening?"

"Since Dampis," he breathed. " after we left Lim Fay. I was angry with you at the time and it just suddenly came out."

"That long ago?" I muttered to myself.

"How'd it happen with you," he asked.

It was just like I'd thought before. Everything had happened too quickly to comprehend how it happened. The only thing I could recall on was feeling angry. Which would be a similarity between how Yogi and my sudden ability commenced.

"I was emotional," I responded.

He looked like he anticipated that answer.

We both stood up and just when he went to say something a violent vibration rocked us. Our hands braced against the wall for support.

"What the hell is that?" I yelled, picking up my glaive.

"No idea," he yelled back. "But I have a hunch."

"Vileus?" I inquired as the sealing and floor began to crumble.

"Yes."

"We need to go and face him."

"Already had that in mind." He grabbed my hand and ran with me down the hall.

0+0+0+0+0+0+

I stepped before the intimidatingly large metal doors of Vileus's throne room. All four guards that'd been standing on either side lay dead from Gareki who insisted on taking them all on.

I wanted to assist him but he had handled himself perfectly fine without my help.

He twirled his glaive easily with one hand as he fell into step beside me. Looking up at the doors as well. The vibrations had stopped a while back when we were running here.

The damage was minimal. We had gotten lucky that nothing had fallen on us or blocked our way here.

"I'm going to let you do the honors of knocking." He offered.

"With pleasure," I said willingly. "But before we go in I should tell you that Vileus is going to be killed by me. Only me. I hope you understand that even though you wanted to help me bring him down."

He looked at me as if he wanted to object but caught himself. "Whatever. This isn't my fight. You've had your beef with this guy for the longest. Do what you gotta do."

" I appriciate you doing this for me." I eyed him before averting my eyes back onto the doors. The moment was here. The time to avenge my parents. I was going to fight hard for the things and the people I had lost.

I walked forward. Placing my hands against the solid surface of the doors, shoving them open. A gust of wind breezed against my face as they opened inwards.

I dropped my hands to my sides. Making sure my sword was out in one of them.

We waited for the doors to open all the way before stepping inside. Once we did I found that the air smelled stale like a basement.

Just as Gareki walked up beside me both doors slammed shut from behind and plundged us into darkness.

His eyes and tattoos instantly glowed to life and so did my own eyes.

We both turned to the door, weapons raised. "I doubt that was coincidence," he whispered when we found nothing out of the ordinary.

Suddenly the sound of flames igniting made us turn back around.

A single red flame floated above the ground in the center of the room. It brightened up the whole space but not enough to dispell the shadows in the corners.

It was still far too dark with no other light source. I looked at our surroundings.

The exspanse was rectangular with pillars lining around it's perimeter as well as stairs that circled around the room.

I didn't see Vileus anywhere. But that didn't mean he wasn't here. He was probably waiting to get the drop on me.

Gareki lowered his weapon and cocked his head at the floating flame. "What the fuck is that supposed to be? Some sort of trap?"

I eyed it warily. It seemed like a trap no matter how harmless it looked. But I did want to know what Vileus was getting at with this.

"There's nothing else here." I turned to him. "I think our best bet is to see what that flame is about."

He looked at me like I was crazy. "Don't tell me you're serious. Yogi it's a trap. It's so obvious it's plain as day."

"I know. But what else is there for us to do?"

He didn't say anything. Which proved my point.

"Exactly," I said, stepping my way down the five steps. He reluctantly followed me.

I walked slowly up to the fire. It was right above me. I gave Gareki a short glance before turning back to it. My hand lifted towards it.

I felt my fingertips warm at it's radiance. I reached a couple more inches and that was when it sucked into itself and exploded into a flash of gold and red. A current of wind blasted Gareki and I to the vibrating floor.

I landed on my front while he ended up on his back. I blinked rapidly from the bright streaks in my vision caused by the explosion. I then pushed myself up on my elbows and turned to the orange ball where the flame had been. It was glowing and emitting a pulse of red and gold.

It was like a force field. A powerful one.

I lifted my hand to block some of the brightness. A strong wind blew against us as we laid there on the floor.

Gareki sat up and stared at the orange ball of light. "What is it doing?" He shouted over the wind.

I had an idea but I didn't say it aloud to him. We would both see it soon enough.

A black blob of shadows exspanded from the orange ball. Morphing into a masculine built figure with black armor. His legs formed before his arms and head. His body swarmed with a vibrant red aura of powerful magic. Lastly his eyes flew open glowing nothing but that same hue of red surrounding him.

Vileus stood before us just like I'd expected him to. Anger boiled through me instantly.

The breeze of wind stopped blowing. Gareki and I took the chance to stand up.

I clenched my sword for safe measures. "It's him,"I said deeply.

Gareki stepped next to me and glared at the figure in front of us.

Vileus levatated to the ground. Looking at his arms with clenched fists as if he were apreciating the power coming off of him. He was.

That was all he cared about. Power and taking charge over the things that didn't belong to him.

He finally looked up at us and pulled on a black look.

He eyed me first before Gareki.

"So you've finally made it back, huh?" the bass of his voice was low and rugged.

"You knew I would be coming to kill you." My voice held no room for pleasantries.

His dark look brightened slightly with a smirk. "That's funny. You wish to kill me in the state that you're in." His red eyes moved to Gareki. "You brought some help for the job. Pitiful."

"Yeah he's here to help me but I'm the one whose going to end your life." My eyes never left his.

He shook his head at me. "You stand before me thinking you can take me on with only half of your prescious amulet and a sword. It's pathetic."

"You'd be surprised by how evolved I got during my departcher in the world you forced me to fall into."

I took a quick glance at his morphed form finding that he was a bit more bulkier than he had been the last time I'd seen him. As well as taller. But I had confidence I could still handle him depite how intimadating he looked.

He squinted at me. "What are you talking about."

"You'll find out,"I said provocativly. "I'm going to get the other half of my amulet back no matter what and get payback for what you did to my kingdom and parents."

His smirk widened. "Your parents were weak. I still remember killing your father myself. He put up a good fight but I was more stronger than him. Far more. . .powerful but not to an exstent I wanted."

My ears felt numb at what he was saying. Realization hit me hard. "You killed my father!?" I yelled with rage. All these years I thought one of his henchmen had taken his life but it had been him all along.

"You're dead!" I shoved my sword into it's sheath before sprinting at him in lightning speed. My hands covered in flames, clenching into fists. I pulled one of them back before throwing it against his face in the most powerful punch I could muster.

The impact of it crashing into another strong current of wind. His feet skidded against the floor but he didn't fall over. He didn't even look fazed. His shoulders shook with silent laughter.

He looked up at me smiling like a maniac. "You call that a punch? This is a punch."

In a blink of an eye he was in front of me, his fist ready. A crushing force hit me hard in my stomach sending me off in mid air. I hit the ground hard causing my breath to escape my mouth.

Pain soared through my body like a heartbeat. I hadn't felt pain like this in my life. He was stronger. Way stronger. But I hadn't come this far just to wallow and accept that.

I sat up with difficulty, holding my aching arm. I should've been dead from a punch like that. Yet here I was still breathing. Of course the pain was immense but oddly enough I could take it.

Not like I could before. . . before I was a guardian. Before I had even gotten this title I had been ordinary but now I was a guardian and could put my body up for new limitations. I doubted I was invincesible but I could tolerate a whole lot more now.

I looked up and saw Vileus walking towards me but Gareki blocked him with the length of his glaive.

He stopped and looked down at him. "Who the hell are you?"

"The name's, Gareki. I'm not going to let you pass." He gave Vileus a lethal glare, his eyes flaring up even more.

"You don't stand a chance against me so if I were you I'd step aside." He continued walking but Gareki swung his glaive up, hitting him hard under his jaw. He swung again and hit him on his head. Vileus bent down from the blow.

The air chilled around Gareki as he pointed his glaive down at his head. He spoke nonchalantly. "I have trouble listening to the enemy especially when called weak, so you'll have to forgive me for that."

I watched them carefully. This fight was sketchy. At any moment Vileus could snap and hit Gareki just as hard as he'd done with me.

Like I anticapated Vileus threw his arm out. My heart lurched as I opened my mouth to yell out a warning but Just before his fist could even make contact with him, Gareki jumped high and slammed down his glaive again only for his blade to clank loudly against Vileus's armored wrist band.

Vileus moved his other arm to punch him but Gareki used it as leverage to jump over. His boots made contact with the stone floor in a crouch before back flipping another attempted punch.

He was quick and alert on his feet which he used to a great advantage. Not to mention his flexability.

Vileus was begining to get fedup with his quick movements. Gareki round house kicked him in the face. The force almost knocking him off balance but he caught himself and turned to face Gareki again.

He winded his fist back and thrust it forward. But just when I thought once again that he would get hit, Gareki punched the ground sending a massive vibration of jagged ice that erupted from the floor to slam strait into Vileus, knocking him back 15 feet.

I frosty chilled breeze carressed my face from the impact.

Vileus regained his barrings and was pissed. He knocked away the jagged ice as he ran at Gareki who stood ready.

I moved to my feet. Finally having the pain in my abdomen subside. My hands swarmed with flames. I needed to be ready to protect Gareki if things went wrong.

When Vileus made it five feet away, Gareki inhaled deeply before blowing a puff of misty frost from his mouth which made his entire body freeze over into a statue. After doing that his eyes lit up entirely as he took a single step forward before shooting intence static lasers from his eyes right at Vileus's chest.

The lasers hit him so hard the ice encasing his body cracked and fell away and he went flying into the far wall. His body crashing into the bricks.

Gareki ceased the lasers and glowered at Vileus's body. "You're a lot easier to hit then I thought you'd be," he said abhorrently.

I stared at him a whole lot differently now. Vileus was a completely strong opponent. The strongest one we ever had to fight. Yet he took him down easily.

I stepped next to him.

"You okay?" He looked at the bleeding scratch on my bicep I got from sliding against the floor.

"Yeah,"I said. I eyed Vileus as he got back up. "You fought him good but he's not going to let you get away with it."

Just after I'd said that he darted towards us. His foot falls heavy.

I stepped infront of Gareki holding my amulet out focusing a shield around us. His fist slammed against it hard. It made the shield crack.

"It's not going to hold!" I yelled.

Vileus pulled his fist back again and punched the sheild with such a force it broke and the after shock caused Gareki and I to skid rapidly against the ground. We hit the stairs making them crumble.

My entire body hurt. It was increasingly hard to breathe. I wouldn't be surprised if one of my ribs were broken. But I attempted to sit up anyway. Once I had I cough up blood.

It dripped down my chin and onto my hands. That wasn't a good sign. I was getting my ass kicked by my enemy. The person that I worked so hard to get to just to take him down. He was winning. And this fight had just begun.

Was I going to let down my parents and kingdom again.

I didn't bother wiping the blood from my chin. I glanced over at Gareki who sat up holding his dislocated shoulder.

He was scratched up pretty badly like me with just as much of his own blood shed on his body.

Vileus chuckled at us. "I thought you were going to be more of a challenge with your said new abilities. Maybe you were lying to try and get me scared. So far,Yogi all I've seen you do is take hits from me. Wheres all that anger now?"

"This fight isn't over." I seethed. "As long as I'm still breathing my promise still stands."

"I should just kill you then," he said.

"That's not happening."

I turned back to Gareki finding him with a brick from the broken stairs in his hand. He hit himself hard in his dislocated shoulder. A loud crunch from his bones snapping back into place echoed. He threw away the brick before grasping his glaive and slowly stood back up only with slight difficulty.

Vileus eyed him. "What was that?" He growled.

Gareki stared at him dangerously. "I said that's not happening. You aren't going to kill him."

His red eyes flickered to me. "Is that so?" in a flash he stood right in front of Gareki. He snatched him up by the throat before throwing him harshly to the ground a couple meters away. The impact of his body making a crater.

I sat there in shock. It had happened too fast to even react.

Vileus glared down at me before turning and marched over to Gareki. Who surprisingly tried to sit up.

He was going to kill him.

Heat raged through my veins. I lurched to my feet ignoring the pain. A surging inferno of flames incased my hands. "Stop. Right. There." I demanded.

He stopped right before Gareki. He didn't turn to look at me. But the next thing he did made my heart stop in horror.

He lifted his foot and stomped on Gareki hard. Makeing the crater bigger from the force of it he then threw relentless lightning quick punches down on him. A yell of pure angst rang out. I realized it was me. I threw both the flames in my hands at him. Setting off four more fire balls floating above me and I went ahead and sent those flying at him too.

They hit his back hard making him fall away from Gareki. I sprinted over to his disoriented body. He was alive which came as another surprise. I was thankful though. I kneeled next to him and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I needed to get him away from Vileus long enough so he could recuperate while I fought him.

He opened his blue eyes and cringed when he went to sit up on his own."Damn it." He hugged one arm over his torso.

"Gareki," I said with concern as I noticed when he pulled his arm away it was covered in blood. I quickly pulled up his shirt and saw the wound from earlier had reopened.

"This is going to ruin my whole day," he muttered, voice sounding strained from the pain I knew he was feeling.

Vileus's footsteps was closing in on us. No time to move Gareki. I would have to leave him here at least to heal himself while I distracted our opponent.

"Heal yourself. I'm taking on, Vileus," I said to him as I pulled out my sword.

"Try not to let him punch you again." He warned.

I nodded and made my way out of the crater to face him. He stood a few feet in front of me. Looking as if he were ready to fight me.

I eyed him carefully. Just along his neck that's where I saw it. The other half of my amulet. The once golden metal was brass now. It had morphed just like he had. It must've been his power source which meant I needed to take it off. He would turn weak no doubt.

But in order to do so I had to get close without him hitting me. A weak point on his body would help stun him while I retrieved it.

I looked discreetly for a weakness on him and thought of his legs and arms. That's where I would strike.

I stood in a fighting position. Sword pointing dead strait. "This is the day your rein over my kingdom dies, Vileus. I'm not leaving without killing you."

He smiled. But it wasn't pleasant. "I've noticed how mature you've gotten since the last time we were together. It's amusing. But you claim to have new abilities. I'm intrigued. I dare you to fight me with all you've got with them if you want to win your kingdom back so badly." He stood in a fighting stance. "Come at me."

Four balls of fire materialized above me, I sent them hurling down at him. They all exploded on impact with him creating an inferno. I made four more but held them off from shooting just yet.

I waited for him to do something behind the wall of fire.

My heart was thumping in my chest from the adrenaline rush of wanting to win this battle. I didn't know how this would turn out which only made my pulse quicken.

Finally, he lurched from the flames, running at me with my own fire following after him. He was planning on hitting me with it.

I out stretched my hand and formed a shield, putting all my concentrated magic into it in hopes it wouldn't break this time. He ran up to it and punched it hard. The impact making my feet slid backwards against the ground.

I kept my hand out stretched and my mind set on concentrating. If he broke a crack of my defenses I fixed it just as quickly.

Right after he punched my shield it didn't take long for the flames to come surging up against my defenses. It was like I was pushing against a wave of water.

I closed my eyes, having to put my sword back in it's sheath just to use both hands to keep my shield up. My feet slid even further against the ground. The current of flames was a lot more powerful then I'd thought. But it was my fault for making them that way.

I should've known he'd use my own attack against me.

My shield began to crack rapidly and this time I wasn't quick enough to fix them.

"Is this all you got, boy?" Vileus mocked.

"You can do this," my mother's voice said.

"Concentrate your power," came my father's.

My eyes flew open. I felt their soul's presence, they were near me.

It'd been a few days since I'd last heard there voices. I had thought they had fully passed on in the after life but they were still here. Watching over me. Watching me fight for what belonged to us.

I couldn't lose. Not now —not ever!

My shield fixed itself before pushing against Vileus and the flames. I took heavy steps forward and kept pushing it until he was propelled backwards. The flames died as he crashed to the ground. His body kicking up bricks.

I dropped my shield and panted. That had taken a lot of concentration and magic. My arms were tingling but I ignored it. Instead I kept my eyes pealed for Vileus's next move.

He got up from the ground. His black armor showing scrapes and dents. Black strands of hair had fallen in front of his glaring red eyes that were directed right at me.

I jerked out my sword and sprinted at him. I held it up and jabbed down on his shoulder but he smacked my arm away and back lashed me on the cheek.

I went falling to the ground. He bent over me and delivered several punches to my face. Painful hits that made my entire face hurt and go numb with bruises.

I wasn't going to lose. Not now. Not ever.

I scaled the ground reaching for my sword with a lost hand. Finally my fingers felt the harsh material of it's handle. I grabbed it and threw my arm at Vileus's left shoulder once again and stabbed him good and deep. It was enough to make his arm useless for him to use.

He growled at me and was about to hit me in the face again but suddenly Gareki's glaive went flying into his thigh. He yelled out long and loud before turning his head where Gareki sat healing himself. His eyes shot lasers right at Vileus's chest. He was thrown off of me.

I laid there, trying to let the aching on my face subside a little until my blurred vision refocused. I then moved to my feet and faced Vileus who struggled to stand up. Thanks to Gareki's glaive his right leg was no longer capable of standing.

He gripped the glaive's long black handle with his good arm and yanked it out of his thigh and threw it aside. His red eyes fell onto me.

"After I'm done with you I'll kill that partner of yours in the most horrible way."

"You're not going anywhere near him," I said venomously.

"Watch me," he said indifferently.

My sword was still stuck in his shoulder. I would have to rely on my magic to blow off the last two of his limbs. I scanned his body deciding on which one of the two I would take out next. His other leg was my best bet.

"So fire was the new ability you were talking about. Last time I checked you only had the element of sunlight."

"It's just like I said before." I raised my hands up on either side of me having both my elements surge into each hand."You sent me into a world that evolved me both physically and mentally." I pushed my arms forward and threw both elements at him.

But suddenly he darted at me despite his wounded leg. He was only slightly slower. A harsh shove to my stomach sent me rolling back and once I stopped I placed my hand against the ground causing long streaks of fire to go surging towards him.

He couldn't jump or out run it. He took the hit and smashed into the pillar.

I bit my lip when I went to stand up. That shove he'd given me hurt like hell. But I still made it to my feet. Breathing heavily. I was bruised and bleeding badly but I needed to finish this. What ever it took to avenge everything I had lost.

"Yogi, he's getting back up."

I looked over and eyed Gareki. He had healed himself but there was still blood on him.

I then turned towards Vileus who had gotten back onto his good leg.

"Take down his arm," I told him and we both ran forward. Gareki reaching him first. His glaive appeared in his hand and he went swinging it at Vileus's arm. But he swiftly angled his body so his glaive would miss. Once it had he punched him hard in the abdomen.

Air escaped his mouth as he went falling to the floor but before he could Vileus elbowed him twice in his face, grabbed his arm and flung his body harshly to the floor creating another crater.

He moved to sit up but fell unconscious and went falling back down.

"You're going to wish you hadn't done that." I ran up to Vileus and drop kicked him full force. We both went falling but I was quicker to get to my feet. I stepped over him and pulled back my fist that swarmed with flames and punched his chest. I then reached and tried to grab the other half of my amulet but he grabbed my wrist and flung me over his head.

In doing so I was able to grab my sword from his shoulder. Immediately I ripped it out just as I collided with the floor. I forced myself to my feet and sprinted towards him. Sword held tightly with two hands against my face ready to stab my target.

With a flick of his arm he sent large protruding rocks at me that erupted from the ground.

I switched my handling on my sword and cut through them all clean and swift. He wasn't getting away on my watch. I jumped from rock to rock until the very last where I jumped down and held my sword over my head ready to stab it into him.

I yelled out a battle cry. This was it. He would die. Now!

At the last possible second he righted himself. I landed and instead of stabbing him my sword stabbed the floor. The impact creating a breeze of flames.

I looked up right in time to see his fist flying down at my face. But I was quick to form a shield. He growled before swinging his leg at me next.

I disabled my shield and fell back before it could hit me.

My eyes were fast to scrutinize his wide open chest that he left unguarded. I took my chance. I spun my sword in my grasp until the blade pointed forward. I pulled my arm back and stabbed right into the center of his chest.

He froze and I pushed harder until the hilt was flat against his wound. I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding. My pulse going fast in my chest still.

I forgot all about taking out his arm and leg as I spotted the other half of my amulet right there in front of me. It hung around his neck beckoning me to grab it. I reached for it but he kneed me in the gut. All air left my lungs. The next thing I knew my back had collided with the cold floor and I was hugging my stomach.

I was empty handed except for my sword that lay beside me covered in the blood of my enemy. I coughed harshly as I clawed at my abdomen. It was burning enough to send tears in my eyes.

"You really just tried to kill me. I'm surprised you got so far as to stabbing me. Good effort, but not enough."

I clenched my teeth from the aching in my stomach. My eyes found him and what I saw sent me into a state of shock.

His wounded arm and leg healed as well as the gash in his chest. It was as if all that hard fighting Gareki and I had done hadn't counted for anything.

"Now my boy, seems like someone needs to teach you how to kill properly," he whispered.

His footsteps echoed over to me in a casual manner. When he reached me he picked up my sword. I couldn't move. The pain was catching up to me. Even my guardian abilities couldn't hold it back.

I weakly inched my hand towards my sword. Not wanting him to take it.

"No,"I said weakly. He placed his foot on my chest and kicked me onto my back. Then he leaned my sword over my heart.

"You made a mistake by striking me in the chest. What you should've done was hit my heart. But you were too eager you didn't even realize your dumb mistake. Now you're going to die and for what? You lost this war and you failed everyone you hold dear. Not like you can get another chance at killing me."

He lashed down but I gripped the blade with both hands. The sharp medal cutting into my fingers causing blood to leak down my arms. "I'm not dying unless I kill you first!" I yelled angrily. "I won't die in vein! Not when my people are trapped under your dark spell. I'll kill you. I'll kill you, I swear!"

A blue flash shoved Vileus off of me. My sword fell from his grip and landed next to me. I grabbed it and tried to get up only to fall back down and yell out from the pain in my abdomen and chest.

I turned to see what the blue flash had been only to find out it was Gareki. He shot beams from his eyes sending Vileus sliding against the floor but it hadn't hurt him except make him stumble. Once he regained himself he went stampeding into Gareki who jumped over him and formed his glaive, angling it over Vileus's head to finish him off but he whirled around and caught it sending a wave of flames down the long handle before they connected with his hands.

Gareki fell against a pillar. Yelling at his burnt palms. Vileus ran up to him and kneed him in the gut. Gareki bent down and just when he did Vileus punched him hard against the pillar, making it crack. He continued punching him in the face on either side.

Gareki's nose started to bleed and so did his mouth. Finally he grabbed one of his fists and threw him to the ground where he gripped his face and began freezing it. He got down to freezing his neck when Vileus gripped his wrist forcing his hand away from his face. Both of them pushing against each other trying to deliver the last blow. Gareki shot out electricity from the hand Vileus was holding but the man grabbed him by the neck and slammed him down causing dust to kick up from the crumbled floor where his body had hit.

"Gareki," I breathed silently. I needed to get up and help him. I moved cautiously to my hands and knees trying not to disturb the pain in my abdomen. Once I made it to my feet I heard Gareki scream. My eyes snapped over to him only to find Vileus's glowing red hand flat on his stomach burning him.

Heat relentlessly traveled through out my body from anger. I had had enough of him laying his hands on Gareki. I was behind Vileus in seconds. Wrapping my arms around his neck from behind I pulled him away from Gareki and flung him to the floor a few metered away.

He got up, running at me full force and so did I. My fist pulled back swarming with my amulet's power. He pulled his fist back making it swarm with dark magic. We clashed them together. The force of it making an immense gush of flames and light circle around us.

I glared strait into his red eyes with such a hatred and he did the same.

Both of our fists still clashed against each others emitting powerful currents of magic.

"You killed both my parents! You stole from me and kidnapped my sisters. You deserve to die! I will kill you, mark my words on both my parent's graves I will!"

"They had it coming," he said coldly. "I feel nothing. I got what I wanted from you and I'll be damned if you take it away from me!"

I felt a sharpness in my chest. I paused, my eyes widening. I stared strait into his eyes seeing the devilish smirk on his lips. The world around me went silent in slow motion.

Warm tears welled up in my eyes and cascaded down my cheeks. I looked down slowly and saw the dagger sticking from my heart. I stared at it for five heartbeats before looking up at Vileus again. He struck me when I wasn't looking.

I had lost. I failed everyone. I glared at him as I reached out with my last remaining strength and grasped the other half of my amulet hanging from his neck and as I fell to my knees the chain snapped. I landed on my back as it fell on my chest.

"NOOO!" I heard Gareki scream.

I stared up at the sealing with blurred vision. Tears escaping my eyes. I would miss him. . .

+0+0+0+0+0+

I laid there watching Yogi. The dagger sticking from his chest. My lungs felt tight and it was hard for me to breathe. My ears felt numb with the sudden constant buzzing echoing through them.

My eyes widened as I tried sucking in air from my parted lips but my breathing was raspy from screaming. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It wasn't over. . .it couldn't be. I didn't want to believe Yogi was dead.

My mind faded in and out of the horrific scene in front of me. "Yogi?" My voice came out dry and haggard. My heart felt heavy as I began to sense his magical pulse growing faint.

My eyes moved over to Vileus who leaned down to retrieve the other half of the amulet sitting on Yogi's chest.

I moved to my feet ignoring the burnt skin on my abdomen. But I fell back down on my hands and knees. My emotions beginning to grow heavy inside of me. It didn't take long for snow to begin falling around us and a chilled wind to start blowing.

Don't go near him!" I managed to say with warning.

He stopped and glanced at me. Noticing the snow and cold wind that swirled around my body.

I lifted my hand. It glowed to life in a blue hue. A ball of my ice magic formed in my palm.

He just smirked at me and turned back to Yogi before leaning down and reached for the amulet.

"I just said don't go near him!" I threw the ball at him and on impact it froze his body whole.

I breathed heavily before dropping my arm down to my side. I fell against the pillar, using it for support. I leaned my head back against it and closed my eyes trying to numb the burning on my side. I couldn't heal it like my other wounds.

Burns caused by fire took longer to heal by themselves.

I spat blood from my mouth. Looking over at Yogi I made my way over to him holding my wounded abdomen.

He wasn't dead. He just wasn't. I had to keep telling myself that.

As I got closer to him I tried to keep my emotions at bay but they fought their way through making the cold wind and snow that swarmed around me increase.

Once I reached him I sank to my knees. No sooner had I done it the entire floor and walls in the room frosted over in ice making the expanse feel like the Arctic.

My hair fell in front of my eyes as I stared down at him. He looked pale. Not only his skin but his hair too. It wasn't as golden blonde as it had been before. I could already see grey strands of it taking over.

I remembered him telling me that was a sign how a Rimahakkian died.

I closed my eyes tightly at the sting in my eyes. Tears welled up inside and I couldn't stop them. I laid my head in my hand, clenching my teeth tightly.

"No," I whimpered. " No, Yogi. Get up. Get back up please. . ."

I reached out to him and gripped his denim jacket before laying my head on his chest away from the dagger. Tear drops falling freely now. "You made a promise to kill Vileus and take back everything that belongs to you."

I leaned up and yelled at him," You made a promise to me! You would wait for my answer! How are you going to do that if can't get the fuck up, huh?!

You love me," I wiped away tears only to have them fall from my eyes even more. "You love me so prove it and get your ass up and fight with me. You're my guardian link. We're bound together! Please. . ." I closed my eyes, pushing back my hair. "Just get up."

I open my eyes and saw his hair become more grey.

My head sunk down.

I was too late. He was dead. It made me recall on all the unspoken emotions and feelings I had towards him. All he had wanted was for me to love him as much as he loved me but I let my fears get in the way instead of speaking about how I felt the same way. Now I was too late. The only person who loved and understood me and changed me for the better was gone.

He stuck by me despite how I treated him.

He forgave me for shit I wouldn't have forgiven myself for.

He made me feel emotions.

I realized now that I loved him just as much as he did with me.

I was stupid for not accepting him sooner. Trust, faith, care, and acceptance.

I paused and thought about that. Ivy said we were missing one last link that held us back from combining again. Maybe acceptance had been it.

If only I had accepted him sooner.

Reaching forward I grabbed the other piece of the amulet that had been with Vileus. It was still corrupted with his power.

I reached down with my other hand and grabbed Yogi's half. I brought them together and instantly they molded together in a flash of golden light. Vileus's half wasn't brass anymore. It turned into gold again.

A fresh breeze of wind brushed against my face from the connected pieces and a surge of magic I hadn't felt before coursed through out the amulet.

I placed it down over his heart before turning away from him. I didn't want to see him growing further to death. "I'm sorry, Yogi," I muttered. "I love you."

I went to stand up but a firm grasp on my hand held me back. I froze and turned around being met up with an aura of golden light fluttering around Yogi's body. He was sitting up and staring strait at me.

I stared right back. Speechless and surprised. He pulled me against him and whispered against my lips. "I love you too." He kissed me deeply sending a strong wave of goosebumps through my body. The cold wind and snow around us breezing in our hair. It pushed through our clothes making them ruffle.

My eyes widened with tears falling continuously down my cheeks. I closed my eyes, heart racing at the fact that he was alive. I held onto his jacket as he hugged me close and secure against his warm body. I kissed him back fully. Putting all my emotions into it.

It felt so good to kiss him with my feelings out in the open. I finally admitted it.

I didn't stop crying. They were happy tears. His hand brushed against my arm until he met up with my neck. He pulled away from me and set his forehead against mine.

I met his vibrant violet eyes that some how looked transformed to me. His hair was back to it's rightful hue. Golden streams of light circled around us making him appear as if his skin was glowing.

And oddly enough all the blood and wounds on him cleared up and I could see his clear face again. Suddenly the burn Vileus had given me didn't hurt anymore. Neither did the cut on my temple.

I reached up to my face and felt for blood but it was gone. All the blood on my body was.

The golden light was cleansing us. Clearing up all of our wounds.

He slid his hand against my neck until it met up with my cheek. He leaned into me and kissed my lips again. I could feel it.

The pulse of his magic vibrating against me. I could feel it like it was touching my skin. Unlike before when it'd felt some what blocked from my senses. Did this mean me figuring out the last link would help us combine again.

I pushed myself against him. Enjoying everything. From the touch of his skin, the feel of his lips, his closeness. Enough to want to kiss him all the time.

But we had to pull away at some point.

I looked down at his chest where the dagger had been. It wasn't there anymore. "How?" Was all I could say.

He lifted up his amulet that glowed to life lighting up his face. "This amulet is apart of my life. I swore an oath to it once I turned 19 and because of that it's life is mine. You fixed it and it's power brought me back to life."

I smiled slightly. "I'm glad you're alive."

"I'm glad you finally aren't holding back how you feel about me. I've waited a long time for you to finally come to terms about how you really feel."

"You and I have a purpose so I think we should be together." I held my hand up for him to grab. His fingers locked with mine.

"Agreed," he said and that's when my own body began to emit a blue aura. I could feel my strength coming back to me.

Our clothing began to glow as well. Mine highlighted into blue while his turned red. They then faded away into sparks that fluttered upwards revealing the same skin tight body suits that were our guardian transformations. Our hair had changed too.

Mine was silver while his was still blonde but with red tips.

I stared into his orange/red eyes as he stared into my teal blue ones. These were the same forms I had seen in one of my dreams on the air ship. I had been right, those were supposed to be our transformations.

"Is this the forms that you were telling me about?" He asked. Looking more amazing in reality then in my dream.

"Yeah," I said turning when I heard the sound of ice cracking. I had nearly forgotten all about Vileus. He was beginning to break out of the ice statue I trapped him in.

Yogi's face turned serious as we both stood up to face him.

No doubt we were a lot stronger now considering our transformed state. And no matter how much I wanted to kick Vileus's ass for nearly killing me this was Yogi's mission so it was his decision. "What's your plan?" I asked without turning to him.

Vileus broke free from his confinement and laid his eyes instantly on Yogi.

If he was shocked to see him still alive he didn't show it.

Yogi thought about his response. Finally he lifted his hand towards me. "I want you to combine with me. We're taking him out."

"I thought you wanted to kill him?"

"That was before this is now," he said, looking me strait in the eyes. "Plus you're my guardian link. We're doing this together."

I grabbed his hand, holding it tightly, he did the same.

A pulse of his magic reverberated into my body. My own magic crossing over to his arm. I felt the inferno inside him. Strong and waiting to be let out. His magic mirrored my own. I was itching to let it loose.

I'd nearly forgotten how it felt to combine with him. But now with it back I enjoyed the feel of his magic coursing through me like a cycle.

Vileus channeled his own power into his hands. He planned on hitting us with everything he had and we would do the same.

Yogi and I raised our intertwined hands strait at him. Coming back to back with each other. "Now," he said. We unleashed an immense spiralling beam of fire, sunlight, ice and electricity just as Vileus sent his beam of dark magic.

Both of them collided in a snap of white light that lit up the entire room. Sparks flew wildly as our combined magic pushed relentlessly against Vileus's.

"Hit him with everything you've got!" Yogi yelled.

With one more push of our magic Vileus's beam was eaten away by ours and he was hit full force with it. He yelled out as he fizzled away into ash.

Yogi and I let go of each other causing the beam to disperse.

The room grew silent. I turned to Yogi. "It's over. You won."

He stared at the black pile of ash that used to be his enemy.

"No," he said," we won. But we still have one more thing to do."

+0+0+0+0+0+0

We came outside standing in front of the entrance to Vileus's crumbling castle that would soon turn into rubble.

Gareki stepped next to me. We both looked out at the waste land that Vileus had created. It would soon be gone too.

I took off my amulet, giving Gareki a glance. He nodded silently for me to continue.

I faced forward and lifted up my amulet to the sky. I spoke in Rimahakkian.

"I Yogi, prince of the Sun Kingdom. Holder of the royal amulet, I order all evil to be banished away from this realm for I am soon to be king! Vileus's rein of power is over. The other half of this amulet is mine again. I am permanently it's ruler until I give up this power to some one else. Let this realm be cleansed from darkness the my power!"

My eyes glowed and so did my body and amulet.

A gust of magic from the amulet expanded across the land. Closing the world in sunlight and pushing out the fog, ash and fire.

My realm would soon come to be again.


	50. Epilogue

**GothinBlack: I'd just like to give thanks to all of you who've stuck by me in the long process**

 **Of writing these first two books of the DARK ARK series. I didn't expect to get so many fans of this series. My first time writing a series based on magic. It turned out well thanks to all your support. Again thanks for reading. There will be an ARK 3. I just need to plan it out.**

 **In the review box list your favorite character and tell why. I'm curious.**

* * *

I stared at myself in the mirror. My fingers pressed to the golden crown that I held above my head the second time that night.

Only a few minutes past my ceremony. I had become Rimahakka's king. My parents would be proud if they were here alive. But they were cheering for me in spirit.

I placed it gently on my head and eyed my full appearance in the body length mirror. I felt as though so much had changed with myself both physically and mentally. I was different now. More stronger.

I was a guardian in the Arcial Realm. A known hero by everyone who resided in that world.

I was a king over a kingdom I had once lost but fought hard for in order to get it back. And my people worshipped me for it. I was a hero in both my world and the Arcial Realm.

I'd gone through hardships, heart aches, disasters all to just get where I was now. But I made it. And that's what I was thankful for.

I wasn't that little boy who shivered away in a safe place. I faced danger and I fought for the things I cared about.

I held tightly to my amulet. It felt full and heavy in my grasp just like I remembered. Closing my eyes I imagined the screams and cries of joy from my people once they saw me up there on the pillar accepting my fate as their ruler.

I could recall on the overwhelming wave of becoming king fall onto me as soon as I placed my father's crown on my head.

In all honesty it might of seemed like a bad idea becoming king of the very kingdom I was planning on passing down to my eldest sister, Tsukuomo. But becoming king was apart of my plan to force the idea to be acceptable with Sameuls who I planned on telling.

As a prince my insist on the idea coming to action would be denied but now as a king my status was far more greater than that of a prince. Sameuls would have to agree with my terms. I hoped.

For my sake I was doing this for Gareki. Just to be close to him and be able to breathe the same air he did, live in the same place, wake up beside him. I couldn't see any other dream more perfect than that.

The celebration party was going on down stairs and I'd already had my fill of the music and greeting guests. Gareki and the others were down there somewhere mingling.

I'd already told one of the maids to draw a bath for me. I was planning on leaving tonight when the realm gate we passed through to get here would be still open. In the morning it would close up.

At least that's the amount of time I think Kara had said back in Maharii Sylus.

"What did you want to discuss with me, Highness?" Sameuls walked through the door. I turned to him, taking off the crown before placing it on it's pillow.

"Sameuls, you're like a father to me. No formalities." I took in brown color of his hair and violet eyes. He was dressed in uniform like always. It was good to see him after so long.

He smiled a small one at me before walking over and sat down on the love couch. He stared at me differently than he did before. As if he was fully taking me in. How much I'd changed.

"You remind me of your father, Yogi. He would be glad to see what you've become and all that you've done. You saved this kingdom."

I slowly traced a finger against the edge of the crown, lifting my head up so my gaze could land on him. His words sort of saddened me. No one could be like my father. He was a one and only man. Even if I was his son I didn't want to take his image away. I wanted my own legacy.

He tilted his head a little, examining my face that had permanently matured to the age of 21 caused by the Arcial Realms difference in time, even though I was 19 by heart. I practically had the same handsome features as my father now.

"It's good that you sat down," I said leaning against the wall." What I'm about to say will be an ear full."

He squinted at me. The smile on his face disappearing in the blink of an eye. He got suspicious. "What are you exactly about to say to me?"

I waited. Gathering the right words. "I know my mother gave me a purpose when she instilled me responsible for the royal amulet. Not only because I was the oldest to carry it's powers at the time. But. . .now I think it's time for a new holder. A holder who will be here in this kingdom with just as many capabilities as me."

His brows furrowed. "What are you saying?"

I took a bold step toward him."You know about me falling into another realm. Let's just say that that realm I want to return back to."

He blinked and after a minute of silence he nodded slowly. "I'm sure we can arrange that if it won't get in the way of your duties as king. Being king isn't a walk in the park. You have many more responsibilities. I hope you underst—"

"Sameuls, you misunderstood me. I want to stay in the Arcial Realm. Permanently."

"What?" His face fell even more.

"You heard me. I want to stay there. I'm passing on my status as king and the royal amulet to, Tsukuomo. She's 16 she can do this—"

He darted to his feet. "No! Are you mad? Yogi, have you considered this at all? She's too young let alone taking over the royal amulet is a long and hard process. We got lucky that you were able to master it's powers at 19. But you had time."

I crossed my arms. "You're really going to say that even though I'm King. I've thought about this."

"Oh you have," he questioned with firm denial. "I should say not enough. You're putting your kingdom in danger by leaving. No matter how smart Tsukuomo may be, she can't possibly harness the amulet's power. She needs mountain loads of practice and commitment and with her studies being a princess she doesn't have time. And just because you're king doesn't mean everything you say goes, I'm sorry."

I pursed my lips with irritation." Don't apologize to me because what you said is unforgivable. I care about this kingdom. And just because I want to leave doesn't mean I don't have any regard for it."

He glared at me with a cross of his muscular arms. "Why then? Why do you want to leave so badly?"

I sighed quietly. "I'm sure you've already met Gareki. He's the one who lives in the Arcial Realm and I want to go back with him."

"Why?"

I didn't hesitate. I looked him strait in the eyes. "Because I love him."

He looked at me a bit surprised. "I didn't know you were—"

"Gay," I shrugged," Yeah, well. Surprise. Gareki's my first committed relationship. And I plan on making it work out."

He paused for a moment in thought. "Is your love for him more important than your kingdom?"

I was taken aback. I didn't expect him to ask that. What was I going to say. Both of them had a strong worth of value to me. But if I had to choose considering the situation I would say. Gareki was more important.

Of course I wasn't meaning to be disrespectful to my own kingdom. But it was saved now and so were the people who resided here. Getting it back had been plan A but plan B was to go back into the Arcial Realm with Gareki. Now was the time for that to come into action. I hadn't planned on my future being here in my world.

He shook his head not letting me answer. Something told me he already knew what I was going to say.

I clenched my hand against my arm. This wasn't good at all. I had thought my plan would work. I closed my eyes thinking.

What was I going to do now. He was against me leaving. But if I told him another reason would he let me go.

I turned back to him. "There's another purpose why I want to leave."

"Yogi," he said warningly.

"Let me speak," I said. "Gareki and I are guardian's, which I've already told you but what I didn't explain is that we can't be separated. The Arcial Realm needs both of us to protect it. Having him alone on the job is unacceptable. He can't do it without my help. We're stronger together. If you were me you'd understand how dire this is."

He waited in thought but never looked away from me with that stern glare.

"I'm not you, Yogi. And again I'm sorry but everything you've said so far is selfish. You really want to leave this kingdom in your sister's hands, who has no experience what's so ever with the royal amulet. You want to leave your people too. They look up to you and now after you've saved there lives you just want to up and leave them all because of an Avatarian who probably doesn't love you like your own people does. How can you call yourself a Rimahakkian?!"

"Shut up!" My fist hit the wall, causing a hole with cracks. My temper spiked. How could he say that. It was ignorant of him. My jaw clenched. I wasn't apologizing for my outburst. "Gareki loves me," my voice shook harshly with emotion. "He loves me more than you could ever imagine. I don't need to hear anything opposed to that. You're in no position to tell me how he feels. You don't know him like I do!"

I retracted my fist and walked off. It was clear I wasn't going anywhere. I would have to stay here, in my realm.

Samuels walked after me. "I'm not letting you leave." He grabbed my shoulder but I roughly shook him off and glared at him. "Stay away from me!" I stepped back. "I'm never forgiving you for this." I spat, jabbing a finger at him before turning on my heels and stormed off.

Both guards standing by the double doors pulled them open for me. I stepped out of the room feeling Sameuls's eyes on my neck the whole time until I came out of sight.

As soon as I made my way far enough down the hall I turned to the wall and hit it. My fist crashing into a picture frame of roses. Glass and wood crashed to the floor but I didn't care. Pulled my fist away I saw glass and blood coating my knuckles.

The pain was only a reinsurance that everything was a reality and I would lose Gareki. I had lost in love. And that only made the pain of my heartache more intense.

I stared down at my bleeding hand as it began shaking with rage.

I pushed my forehead to the wall, clenching my eyes shut. Why was everything falling down in the most horrible way.

"Dammit." I mumbled out between tight teeth. My fist continued to lay in the hole I made next to my head.

I wanted him so bad but in the end I couldn't keep him at all.

I fought the sting in my eyes. I wouldn't cry. Not now.

"Dammit!" I pushed my back to the wall and stared up at the sealing. I had been stupid to think my plan would work.

I couldn't get everything I wanted. I knew that. But for one hopeful chance I had thought things would be different for the main thing I wanted. The main person I wanted.

"Yogi."

I looked up in time to see Gareki walking towards me down the hall. A chill went up my spine from his presence. Time seemed to slow as he moved towards me. The boy I'd fallen for was mine but wasn't at the same time.

We would be separated soon. Thinking about it made my heart sink.

I met up with him half way. "We need to talk," I said sternly before grabbing his hand and pulled him in the direction of my room.

"About what?" He pulled away from my tight grip and stopped walking.

I stayed silent. Not being able to speak. I was wary of my voice breaking before I got the news out to him, but I wanted to say something. I turned around to face him. "It's something bad." I was able to speak normally but a lump had formed in my throat soon after. "I don't want to speak about it out here."

His brows furrowed and I could tell he knew something was wrong with me no matter how much I tried to hide it. He nodded gradually. "Lead the way."

We walked down the dark hall in silence until we reached the door of my bedroom. We went inside.

I closed the door behind us and started pacing and pulling out the glass in my knuckles.

My room was dark but the moon lit up most of it from the balcony doors.

He looked at me expectantly against the wall waiting for me to say something. But when I didn't he opened his mouth and asked me. "Yogi, you need to tell me what the hell this about? What's wrong with you?"

I had to come out with it no matter how much it pained me. I inhaled attempting to keep myself calm but it didn't work. I stopped pacing and looked at him disdainfully. "I tried. . ." the words came out haggard. Making my throat tighten with a wave of emotion.

His blue-grey eyes searched my face. The eyes that I would miss terribly. "You told him, didn't you?" Something in his tone sounded disappointed. He knew it would turn out like this. That my plan wouldn't work.

"Everything." I choked out through angry tears welling up " You know, it's funny how life can be so unfair."

His shoulders sunk as he spoke softly, "Yogi—"

"No! It's the truth! I was hoping that everything would work out! That we could be together!" Hot tears dripped down my face as I slowly shook my head. "What a joke. A cruel one."

"What exactly did you tell him?"

"About us being guardians. How we can't be separated. He said no to me for asking to leave with you. He called me selfish for wanting to leave my kingdom. And he said that you didn't love me."

"I do love you. He's wrong. You know that?"

"Of course I do!"

"Good," he blinked rapidly," because I don't want you to forget that."

I sat down on my bed, dragging my hands down my tear stricken face. "Please don't speak like this is the end of us seeing each other."

" I'm not trying to speak like that." His voice cracked as his own tears welled up in his eyes. "Just like you I don't want this to be goodbye. It isn't fair, I know. But no matter what we're going to have to face what's happening and eventually say. . .our goodbyes."

My eyes darted over to his face in shock.

"How can you say that?!" I snapped, looking at him hurt." Everything we've been through how can you just except it coming to an end?! That's too cold, Gareki. Even for you."

"What makes you think I'm excepting this?" He sounded offended.

"By what you just said," I replied.

He pushed away from the wall. "I'm not excepting this! Just because I said it doesn't mean I meant it. I was only speaking the truth."

Tears began dripping down his face. "Shit!" He reached up and pinched his eyes closed with his index and thumb trying to stop them from falling but they didn't relent. He gave up trying and stared at me full on looking miserable. "You think you're the only one hurting? You don't understand how much I want to yell. Scream. Punch something!" He clenched his fists. "But I can't because that would make things harder than what they already know this. . .don't you?"

I stared at his face with realization. As much as I disliked what he'd said I couldn't help but agree and see where he was coming from by saying it and I felt bad for acting as if this was all weighing down on me when it was doing the same to him. "I'm sorry. You're apart of this as much as me." I muttered.

"You're damn right." His voice wavered. "Like I said before I don't want what we just started to end but we can't just fool ourselves into thinking we can continue like this. Separated. This was bound to happen. There's no light hearted way in saying this. We're too different."

I brought my hand away from my eyes and gave him a hard look. That spiked my temper just a little bit. Was he seriously talking about differences now. I thought we were finally past that. "What the hell are you saying?"

Walking over too my dresser he leaned his back against it and braced his hands on it's edge. "Yogi, you know what I'm about to say—"

"Well I don't want to fucking hear it!" I stood up abruptly. "What makes you think I want to hear more things that will break my heart? I'm about to lose you and now you're telling me that we can never be with each other because we're different! Honestly, I thought you were through with saying that." I looked him up and down with disappointment,"I see that I was wrong."

He turned away from me and braced his hands against my dresser. He stared at me through my mirror.

"What do you expect we do, then?" His eyes cut into me. "You already know I can't stay here—you can't come with me. What the fuck is there left to do?! Tell me since you think there's a solution!"

I didn't respond. I didn't have a clue on how we could resolve this.

He nodded slowly at my silence. He knew that I didn't have anything to say. And he took my silence as a sign of it. "The only conclusion is for us to move on. You know I only want you to be happy."

A part of me softened at that.

I stepped over to him and stopped till I was right behind him. "Happiness for me won't happen unless I have you. . .I want you. . .only you. So bad it hurts."

He watched me closely in the mirror. A single tear slipping from his eye. I reached up and brushed it away. As soon as it touched my skin it crystalized into frost.

I eyed him closely. The air growing thick with sexual tension.

"I know what you want from me." He whispered. "I can feel it coming off you in raw, heavy waves. Why can't you ever control your urges when it comes to me?"

I didn't answer him right away. I realized that I was always pushing just to get close to him, feel him, kiss him. Why. I knew that I loved him. But even love alone didn't justify all that. No it was something way more intense."I'm addicted to you. That's why."

He slowly shook his head. "For your sake you shouldn't be."

"I am. I'm stuck this way. You were worth the chase." I whispered against his ear. "I'm done arguing with you. I don't want to let our last night together be this way."

He stared at our reflection in the mirror before him and saw how close I was behind him. "I already have a clue on how you want to spend this night with me," he said quietly.

Intrigued I kept my lips near his ear as I placed my hand against his thigh. The fabric of his black skinny jeans beneath my palm. " Then tell me where do you think I'm going to start? My hand slid up his thigh a bit. "Here?"

He slightly shook his head, becoming distracted by my hand. I moved it up until it was over his ass. "Here?" I glanced up at him and saw him biting his lip as if he were struggling to keep a sound from leaving his mouth.

He pursed his lips as his hands flat on my dresser curled into fists. "No." He managed to say.

I looked down before watching him once more in the mirror for his reaction. "I see. Then it must be here." I gripped his tail. Dragging my hand carefully till I reached the center of it.

He nearly fell over but he managed to catch himself against my dresser. A moan left his lips causing my heart to thump in excitement. "Is that a yes?" I whispered in his ear. I moved my hand on his tail again gaining another moan.

"Yes!" He breathed heavily.

I turned him around till his body faced mine.

I leaned my face towards his waiting for him to lean into me for the last inch. He moved into me and pressed his lips to mine in a statically heated kiss that made the hairs on my arms stand on end. He kissed me like he was thirsty for it. Like we hadn't done it all day.

I held my breath. Realizing this was the release I desperately needed now. Lifting my other hand up to his face I moved away strands of his soft hair. Pushing my lips closer to his. I could feel more tears of his roll onto my fingers.

Frosting over in jagged streaks.

I wanted to take that pain away from him. From both of us. I drew away from his bottom lip and stared strait into his crystal eyes.

It was a shame how beautiful he looked while crying.

"Gareki," I whispered with trembling lips. It pained me to see him like this. So hurt.

"Don't say anything." I heard the deeper tone of his voice and knew he was trying to be strong. He couldn't keep up a wall between his emotions for long.

We both knew this was a hard situation that couldn't go without tears being shed. He had to break down at some point.

"I need to," I said turning his face back to mine when he tried to turn away. " When it comes to you I need to say what's on my mind. So please. . .look at me."

His gorgeous eyes looked up at my frowning face and with that look I took the chance to speak. "Right now I can't risk losing you. Not after I finally got you to love me. Even when you leave I'm still going to have these feelings. There's no limit to how much I love you and there will never be. I just. . . want you to know that."

He planted his forehead against the crook of my neck and I placed my cheek down on his hair, hugging him close to me. "I know." His voice cracked. " I know you do,Yogi. Trust me. I won't forget that." He choked out.

I closed my eyes. Laying my cheek against his hair for a few more seconds. "What I want from you is to continue loving me too. I know you wanted me to be with someone else if we got separated but I can't do that. I know that some day we will see each other again. Promise me you will have faith that we will see each other."

He nodded against my shoulder. "I promise," he said sternly," at any chance I get, without my mother knowing. I will come and see you."

"Thank you." I kissed him deeply. The chill of his lips sending shivers down my spine. I made sure to hold myself back a little. I kissed him slowly and sensually. I didn't want to rush this. If this was the last time we would see each other in a while then I wanted to do this right.

He reached up with his hand and touched my bicep, slowly sliding it downward against the sleeve of my red button up shirt until he reached my skin where he brushed his finger tips down my forearm. His touch sent a wild sense of goosebumps through my body. He met up with my hand that was placed against his face and intertwined our hands, locking them together with our fingers.

All the while continuing to kiss me. I bit his bottom lip, drawing it out before letting it go. The thought of seeing him coming again went through my mind and I desperately wanted to see it again in reality. But I forced myself again not to rush this. But it was becoming hard.

He placed his hands against my chest, slowly inching his lips closer to mine but just when I thought he was going to kiss me he unexpectedly shoved me onto the bed and crawled on top of me, appearing like a cat with his tail moving side to side behind him. His glowing slit eyes vibrant against the surrounding darkness of my bedroom.

His skin looked pale from the strings of moonlight seeping in from the window. They extended all the way onto my bed where I laid.

All I could think about was seeing him naked and looking perfect beneath me.

He sat down on my lap where the tightness of my pants was. I inhaled, finding it difficult to restrain myself when he was sitting directly on my erection.

"Gareki." My breath hitched when he rocked his pelvis against mine. He placed each hand on each side of my head and leaned down towards my lips. His hair falling on one side of his face making him look sexy. "Sorry," he said quietly," but I can't let you lead this time." He moved his hips again making me moan. I couldn't describe how good it felt. I wasn't able to focus for long once he began moving.

He leaned back up and grabbed hold of the hem of my shirt. "Don't worry. I'll make sure it feels good."

The small part of my mind wondered how since he was still new with sex experience but then I recalled him not being human. He must've been following his instincts.

I watched him carefully without saying a word. He seemed different, at least his demeanor did. I saw the arousal written all over his face. He was itching to have sex with me and maybe he wanted to get it all over with just to climax but was restraining himself as well just to make this moment perfect. He was taking things slow just like my own intentions were to do.

I wasn't so sure if I could keep it up though.

"You don't have to do this," I said breathlessly as he continued moving against my erection in an irritatingly slow manner.

He moved down to kiss me as he pushed my shirt up revealing my chest. "I think I do." He placed his lips gently on mine. They felt like ice that soon warmed to the temperature of my own. I loved that sensation.

He bit down on my bottom lip. But not to the point where we tasted blood. He teased the tender flesh with his fangs.

I felt how sharp they were and was waiting for them to penetrate me but they never did. He pulled away from my mouth and trailed his lips down my neck where I felt his tongue travel down a vein beating in time with my heart.

I kept still with anticipation and excitement. I just wanted him to bite me already but I didn't rush him.

His breath was cold causing more goosebumps to roll down my body. He stopped and waited before placing his fangs against my skin and bit into my neck and began diverting my blood towards his mouth.

I couldn't hold back a moan this time. Why did it always feel good just to have him bite me. The sensation alone drove me mad with arousal. His lips kissed the spot he bit into, sucking my blood from the new wounds. Little by little never taking more than needed.

He pulled out of me after a few seconds and sat up. His hair hanging over one eye with a blood drop slipping from the corner of his lips. Reaching up I wiped it away. He grabbed my hand and licked the access blood from my thumb. I dropped my hand gently against his chest. Feeling the smooth fabric of his shirt as I trailed my palm along his hip until reaching his ass where I let my fingers caress.

He looked at me longingly. His blue-grey eyes taking on a darker shade with lust. He nudged back and forth my crotch with his own in slow rhythmic motions. And I tried hard not to thrust upwards but I couldn't help it. I did it earning a small gasp from him. I needed—no—wanted more friction.

He looked at me a bit startled but road it off and continued his movements. He bent lower until he reached my chest. Planting a kiss over my heart. He then licked around one of my pecks. The freezing touch of his tongue stimulating them to rise.

His lips moved down to my navel. Tongue dipping inside of it before circling back out.

I sighed softly. My mind going in and out of focus. His movements against my erection became more heavier as the minutes ticked by. I felt myself throbbing for more. I didn't know how much more I could take of this dry grinding.

I wouldn't let myself come this way. Especially not this soon.

I sat up with him still on my lap and pulled him into a heated kiss that said more than how I was feeling. I squeezed his ass lightly before bringing my hands to the front of his body. Ripping open his shirt I revealed the pale beautiful, toned skin of his naked chest and abdomen.

I ran my hands against his soft skin. Wanting to feel him without the fabric of clothing blocking me. Breaking free of our lip lock I brought my mouth down over his nipple, sucking him lightly.

He jerked. Surprised by my sudden action. He let go of a moan. Encouraging me further. I loved that sound. It was music to my ears and I wanted to hear it even more.

Luckily for me he was extremely sensitive. Almost anything that I did to his body physically would cause him to moan.

I didn't care what Samuels said. I wasn't selfish. I cared deeply about my kingdom. But Gareki was an entirely different story. He was my future and we were meant to be together. I'd be damned if I let someone take him away from me. He was mine and that's all that mattered.

I kissed my way up to his neck. Warm kisses on his cold skin made him shiver from the contact. He breathed a quiet sigh once I pulled away from his shoulder after kissing it. I understood he wanted me to continue kissing him but patience was a virtue. Reaching up I carefully slid off his shirt, placing it aside. I then inched my fingertips down his abdomen slowly just to tease him until I reached the zipper of his jeans where I pulled it down.

He stared me right in the eyes as I did without a word but a sign for me to keep going.

I leaned into him until my lips were next to his ear and whispered," I can't let you lead this. I'm taking over."

He whispered back. "What makes you think I'm going to let you?"

"Who said I was asking your permission?" I countered seductively, shoving him down on the bed while I climbed over him. I leaned down till we were face to face. "I play by my own rules when it comes to fucking you."

His slit eyes searched my face.

"You gave me a sign that we weren't going to rush this. And look at yourself now. Practically urging to get inside me." His eyes had a hint of mockery directed right at me.

I smiled as I pushed myself up on my knees and began taking off my shirt and shoes doing the same with him. He laid there with nothing but black skinny jeans and boxers. Same as me.

I pulled down the zipper of my pants before dropping back on top of him, both hands holding me up on either side of his head. "What can I say? You feel amazing. Is it so bad that I want to be inside you?"

He hooked an arm around my neck bringing me down to his lips, giving me a lasting kiss. He slid his arm down until his hand was the only thing against my neck, he pulled away from my lips. "Let's just do this."

"Thought you'd never say it," I muttered. I placed my fingers on the hem of his jeans and boxers before slowly sliding them down off of his legs and dropped them to the floor. I got off the bed and shoved down my own pants and underwear until I stood fully naked in front of him.

His chest expanded as he inhaled a breath, taking in my appearance.

"Let's not do this here," I said. "I have a better place in mind." I lifted my hand for him to grab. He took it and got off the bed.

"Where?" He eyed me.

"Just follow."

I led him across my room until we came to two double doors painted white. I pushed them open revealing the atmosphere of the midnight air that fell against our faces. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye as he took in the balcony and the outdoor jacoozie that lit up with violet and blue lights contrasting perfectly with the night surrounding us.

A fountain shooting out droplets of water was centered in the middle of it.

I pulled him forward by hand until we stood before the water.

"I hope you're not serious," he said. "We're doing this outside?"

"Something wrong with that?"

"Us getting caught."

"They wouldn't connect my room to an outdoor jacoozi for people to see me," I said, pointing out the overbearing wall that blocked the view of the jacoozi all together. "See?"

He gave the wall a once over. Lingering there for a moment for security before letting go of my hand stepping into the warm pool. Submerging himself till his hips were beneath the water.

Fog wafted up from him stepping in the warm water with his cold body temperature. But the warmth of the water didn't seem to bother him.

He stood near the fountain allowing droplets to cascade down his hair. Closing his eyes I watched as they slid down his back.

A cool breeze brushed against my face. I stayed there, taking in his beautiful appearance. The setting of the violet and blue lights against his toned body made him look breath taking.

As if this moment was out of a cheesy romance movie I found myself smiling a small one at him. Feeling lucky that he was in my life.

Opening his eyes he turned to me. Wet strands sticking to his forehead. "Are you going to stand there staring at me all night? Or are you coming in?" A hint of sarcasm.

My smile widened as I stepped into the water, making my way over to him under the fountain. The curls on my head fell into my eyes from the water almost immediately. I wiped them away, tilting my head up so more water could fall onto my face.

Wiping my eyes I felt a rush of water drops smack me on the face. I looked at Gareki who was swiping the water off his face but had subconsciously hit me with it.

Getting cocky and if not a bit childish I threw water back at him playfully. Even though I was still disappointed by the situation at hand. I wanted to lighten up our moods.

He snapped his head around to me. His face dripping more water than it had before. But that wasn't what made me laugh. The genuine shock on his face did.

He stared at me like that as I laughed. But he didn't get mad.

He shoved a wave of water at me. Some of it getting in my mouth. But that didn't stop my laughter.

"What are you? Five?" He cracked a smile at me.

I shook my head sending another splash of water at him. He tried to doge but his movements were slow in the water. It hit him square in the face again. He spat out water and laughed before shoving me.

I shoved him back, sending us both under the water all the way down till we were at the bottom. Small air bubbles swarmed around us.

I fanned them away in order to see his face. He continued smiling at me. Some air bubbles leaving his mouth.

I moved to kiss him but he pulled his head away. He pushed away from me and swam up to the surface. I followed after him. My head breaking through to the surface after his.

He whipped his head back to get his wet hair out of his eyes before looking at me. "You don't honestly think I'd kiss you after pulling a stunt like that do you?"

I wiped my face before facing him. "You're serious?"

He swam towards me and placed his hands on my cheeks. "Of course not." And kissed me captivatingly. Water raining down on us from the fountain.

Instantly my hands felt over his naked body. The need for it becoming stronger than before. One arm hooked around his back, pulling him closer to my chest while my other arm reached up and trailed a hand down his partially tattooed back.

"You're so hard." He breathed against my lips once he felt down at my lower regions.

I said in between kissing him. "You just noticed?"

"I been noticed." He gasped as I gripped his ass with one hand. I bit down on his bottom lip before kissing his chin, going lower on his neck. He tilted his head back so I could have more access.

I loved how willing he was. But I had to admit I liked it when he begged. I dragged my lips down till I reached his nipple. Biting down on it lightly he jumped from the sensation and gasped again.

The sexual experience was still new for him. I wasn't surprised that every little thing I did either surprised or made him moan.

I sucked at it making him moan. Pulling away from his chest I kissed him again. He licked my lips. Opening my mouth I allowed our tongues to meet. They fought for dominance but I won once I grabbed his tail that instinctively wrapped around my arm.

He tried to keep the kiss going. Every now and then twitching to keep his composure. I moved my hand up and down wanting a reaction out of him.

He retracted his tongue and pulled away from my lips completely as he clenched his mouth shut. He avoided eye contact and looked down instead. His hands moved down to my shoulders, fingernails prickling my skin as his grip tightened.

I continued moving my hand. Leaning into him I said quietly," don't hide. I know you feel it." He shivered visibly at my warm breath against his neck. I wanted him to moan for me again.

"Or I could just stop?" I stopped my hand's movements on his tail. His body loosened from it's previous tense state. He made a noise that sounded like a grunt of dissatisfaction.

"Don't stop." He pleaded gently. "It felt amazing."

"I wouldn't be able to know since you didn't moan. You know how much I enjoy hearing it." I lightly dragged a finger along his tail getting a small whimper from him.

"You're going to drive me crazy if you keep moving against my tail."

"That's my goal," I said, moving my finger again. Knew I was close to driving him insane judging by the twitch of his lips that for a second revealed a crazed smile.

"So what's it going to be?" I asked continuing to lightly trace his tail. He trembled from the pleasure. "It all comes down to you. Are you going to keep hiding or are you going to moan for me?"

He stayed silent. Distracted by my finger.

Finally I grasped his tail moving my hand faster than before. He went insane. My actions giving him the insist to speak.

"Ahhh!" His entire body stiffened back up. "Yogi." His head fell back.

"You're sexy." I kissed his nipple making him moan and shiver.

His whimpering cries sent me on edge. And I wanted more from him. I swam back until I was sitting on a ledge. Pulling him till he was sitting on my lap.

His head sank down to my chest. Wet strands of hair fell back over his forehead. He breathed softly through full parted lips as he looked up at me. The black slits in his eyes dilating.

Looking at him made me compare him to a cat in heat. He wasn't entirely human which was what I found arousing about him. He was different from what I was.

His lips slightly touched my chest. His cold breath fanning my skin. "I need. . .I need. . ."

I lifted his face up to mine. "What do you want, Gareki?"

"I wan't you to make love to me now." His eyes bore into mine intensely.

"Beg for it." I demanded.

"You're not playing this game with me," he said.

"Who said this was a game? I'm being serious. Now tell me how much you want this."

"Bad," he inched closer to me. His lips coming centimeters closer to mine. Wet strands of his hair touched my forehead and cheek.

"How bad?" I looked up at him.

"Badly," he said breathlessly. "So please. . .do me now."

I quickly switched places with him until he was sitting on the ledge and I was situated over him. "Really?" I asked, getting cocky once more just to make him beg me again.

"Don't make me say it again." He fidgeted, clearly wanting me to get on with fucking him.

"Prove it to me somehow. Those beautiful lips of yours has to say what your body wants one more time." My member positioned itself in front of his entrance.

"Please! Just put it inside me already—!"

He fell against the ledge. His back arched as his head fell back. Eyes wide with tears of both pain and pleasure fell down his face. His mouth formed a perfect O as he moaned loudly.

I didn't wait. I had stuck my entire length inside him as soon as he finished his sentence. His cold insides warming to the temperature of my member. I planked myself over him like a predator taking it's victim.

His nails scratched at the pavement as I pulled out but kept my head inside of him. Leaning down I kissed his neck to distract him from the pain. This was his second time having sex. Of course he hadn't gotten fully used to my size.

"I'm sorry." I hushed in his ear before inching myself back inside him.

His breath hitched with a whimper. I pushed entirely inside him once more. He moaned again, bracing a firm grasp on my arm.

I pressed my lips on his cheek. Tasting the salt of his tears. "Just tell me when to move."

He faced me, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. He took in a couple of breaths before giving me the insist. "Go ahead," he said lowly.

I kissed him. His strong arms holding onto me as I slowly moved in and out of him. As time passed I went faster. His whimpers turning into shear cries of ecstasy. They excited me further.

Water droplets from the fountain fell onto my back before rolling onto him.

At times like this I loved that we were guardians because I could feel and sense what he was feeling. I could feel his rapid heartbeat growing closer to his climax.

I was close too.

"You can feel it, can't you?" I asked him. "I know your almost about to cum."

He replied in a rush of breath. "Yes—oh God yes!"

"Then I suppose you wouldn't mind if I sped things up."

He didn't respond. Too distracted by me pounding into him.

I grabbed his tail startling him into paying attention to me again.

I moved my hand up and down quickly against it.

"Not my tail," he whimpered struggling beneath me as arousal pushed him closer to climaxing. His eyes shut tightly as more tears fell. "Please sto—no, NO!" His eyes flew open as he threw his head back screaming as his climax fell over him. His body twitched violently.

It didn't take me long to come right after him. Deep inside.

A couple seconds later his and my body went limp. He panted. I pulled out of him before sinking back into the water. He followed suit.

He laid back against the rim of the jacoozi staring up at the empty sky. Only the moon taking up space up there. A few heartbeats of silence was issued before I spoke.

"What now?" I asked. I looked at him when he suddenly grabbed my hand and turned it palm up. "What are you doing?"

He eyed me. "How badly do you want this relationship between us to work? Will you ever loose hope of us seeing each other again? I need you to really think about this even though you already gave me an answer. This is important. I want to be sure before I do what needs to be done."

I stared at him with question but spoke with sincerity "You're apart of me now, Gareki. I love you entirely. Everything I do and hope for all comes down to you. I breathe because of you. You're my air. You're my heartbeat, but mostly you're my boyfriend. I give you my word that I would never give up on you. Never."

His lips cracked into a one sided smile. That smile reached his eyes making them glimmer.

That smile made him look even more breath taking to me.

He formed a small spear of ice. My hand flat in his.

"Back in my kingdom," he began gently, " we perform blood pacts. It's an oath we give out to those we care about or are acquainted with. You can promise them anything and they have to follow through with it."

"What will happen if they don't," I said.

He gave me a serious look. "If either one of them don't follow through with their oaths. They'll die. Slowly but surely. It won't be pretty."

I nodded once. "If you're planning on making an oath with me then go ahead. I'm not afraid that we'll break it."

He glanced down at my hand and made a thin line in the middle of my palm with the sharp spear of ice. My blood seeped out of the cut. He cut himself in the same spot on his hand and made the spear disappear before grabbing our wounded hands together. Our blood mixing.

"I promise," he began," here and now I will love you and only you. I will stand by you through hardships as a comrade, guardian and as your boyfriend."

I held his hand tight as I spoke next. "I promise to stand by you through whatever hell comes flying at us next. I'll love you fully throughout any troublesome matters. Like I said before, you're my life now."

"And you're mine," he said.

A strong pulse pushed through us both. Signifying that our oath was registered.

He pulled his hand away from me. Looking down at it before showing me a scar right in the place he'd cut himself.

I looked down at mine and saw the exact same mark. We were connected in more ways than one.

+0+0+0+0+0+

I sat there in a chair close to Yogi's bed watching him sleep.

I'd woken up early in the morning showered and got dressed in a clean set of clothing. It was already around five in the morning and I planned on leaving now.

I didn't wake him though. No more tears did I want to see shed from him. It was easier this way. I tried telling myself I was doing the right thing but I couldn't help but feel guilty. He was going to be upset once he woke up and found me gone.

I took a look out the window and saw a cloudy sky. Dawn was breaking which was my que to move.

Standing up I pulled on a black jacket and stepped over to my boyfriend.

Calling him that was going to take some getting used to.

I bent down. My cold presence making him stir in his sleep. He face me, eyes still closed. I placed a kiss on his forehead, giving myself another moment to stare at him. Trying to get the image of his face stuck in my head.

Finally I straitened and began walking but stopped when I smelled another presence in the room. I turned to the door and saw Sameuls leaning against the frame. He stared at me. Appearing hostile.

"He wanted to leave with you. I'm glad I stopped him. You made him like this." He blamed me.

My demeanor changed from light hearted to cold and threatening. "It isn't my place to tell you where he can and can't go but I didn't willingly make him how he is now. He fell in love with me all on his own. He wanted to come back with me in my realm. I didn't decide that."

"Do you honestly love him?" He glared at me and I glared right back. "I do."

"Well just to let you know I'm not going to be accepting of this. You may have helped him get back here alive but I was led to believe you were the whole reason how he got back here. You put him through enough danger in your world. He stays in this world in his future."

I stayed quiet. Deciding to ignore his ignorant ranting. Ifnit weren't for me Yogi would be long dead in my world. I moved to walk past him but he gripped tightly on my arm. "Did you hear me—"

Quickly I broke his arm. Watching as he silently yelled in agony.

I leered down at him. "You're lucky you're so close to Yogi as a father figure or else I would've killed you for questioning me about him. If he wants to live in my world in his future that's his choice. Not yours!"

He scowled up at me.

Avia stepped next to me out of the shadows as did Seth. "Are you ready," she asked.

"Yeah." I flung on my hood, shoving both hands into the pockets of my jacket and turned on my heel, walking down the hall with them. "Oh, and before I forget," I stopped and turned back towards Samuels,"don't tell him I left. He'll figure it out."

Kiichi, Rowen and Gabriel met us outside the castle's main gate where the sky had grown even more cloudy. It was about to rain. All six of us walked and located the realm gate.

I watched them jump into the portal until it was just Avia and I. She looked at me with furrowed brows. "Are you seriously leaving him without saying goodbye?"

A cool breeze brushed against my face. "We said goodbye in our own way." She didn't look satisfied with that but I ignored the look she gave me.

"Just go through the damn gate," I said.

She smiled, looking at something behind me before jumping into the gate.

Shaking my head I moved to jump in after her but a distant yell said my name. I froze and waited thinking I was just hearing things.

But when I heard it again I whirled around just as a strong cold breeze whipped off my hood and blew back my hair.

Yogi ran at me and on instinct I found myself running at him too. We tackled each other into a hug. He spun me around, arms tightly wrapped around my midsection while mine held around his neck.

I smelled his clean clothes and shampooed hair that was still wet from a shower. He had rushed just to see me leave even though I didn't want him to.

He stopped spinning me and placed my booted feet back onto the tall grass.

"I can't believe you!" He yelled, breathing heavily from running. "You were just going to leave without saying bye to me?!"

"I didn't want you to cry," I said.

He pulled away from me. His white T shirt bellowing in the wind. "Does it look like I'm crying?!" He pointed at his eyes.

"I'm sorry, okay?"

"No! Not okay. What kind of boyfriend does that?"

"It's new to me," I said. "But truly, I'm sorry."

"Don't know if I can forgive you." He crossed his arms.

I walked over to him and whispered against his lips. "Don't be like that." I kissed him emotionally. Putting my feelings and sorrows behind it.

He hugged me close. Giving in to my lips.

I pulled away and watched him blink as if he'd just woken up. "I may be able to reconsider not forgiving you," he said smiling.

I smiled back, brushing back a few wet strands of his curly hair. "Good." I glanced at the realm gate and noticed it had gotten smaller. I needed to go.

Yogi noticed too. His smile faltered as he looked back down at me. "I almost forgot."

My own smile fell. "I'm sorry."

He pulled me into another tight hug and I did the same.

"I'm going to miss you. . .so much." I heard the crack in his voice. Closing my eyes I placed my cheek against his chest hearing his heartbeat. It made tears sting my eyes.

In the corner of my eye I saw the gate shrink again. I had to go now. Pulling away from him he grabbed my wrist, shaking his head. "Don't go, please."

I stepped back causing his grip to slip down to my hand. I frowned as my eyes welled with tears. "I have to, Yogi. . .you know this."

"No. I want you here by my side. I don't want to keep telling myself 'maybe he'll come back someday' just to get through my day. I need you, Gareki."

I stepped back again. His grip slipped to my fingers before falling away completely. A tear slipped down his face.

"I need you too," I said." But my place isn't here. I'd die. I told you this. "

He shook his head again in denial. "I know—I know, but—"

"Yogi," I said softly. "This isn't new beginnings. You were the one who told me to have hope so you should keep faith too. We'll see each other again."

I didn't know if I could put my beliefs on it.

He bit his lip, looking like he didn't believe it. "Fine. Then I'll be waiting here for you."

I nodded. "Don't you give up on me."

"I won't," he said firmly.

I turned away from him but before I jumped into the portal I half turned to him ." I love you."


End file.
